


An Adventure Like no Other

by WorldsofFantasticFantasy



Category: The Hobbit
Genre: Adventure, F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-09
Updated: 2014-10-08
Packaged: 2017-12-26 03:29:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 50
Words: 146,196
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/961066
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WorldsofFantasticFantasy/pseuds/WorldsofFantasticFantasy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When a grief-stricken woman jumps to her end, she awakens in a foreign land. The group of weary dwarves attempt to help this woman find her way back, with their quest hanging by a thread. Taking a liking to two of the dwarves, what effect with this have on both the journey and her want to return home? (i suck at summaries, my apologies) Rated T for future violence.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So, my lovelies, this is my first 'Hobbit' fanfiction, and my first story in a while, so I hope you enjoy it. Please, please, please read and review and tell me what you think. Yes, this is a sort of Mary Sue, but if you are familiar with My Thor fan fictions, then you will know that I try to the best of my abilities not to make it absolutely cheesy! Haha.
> 
> The magnificent JRR Tolkien owns all dwarves, elves, hobbits and wizards. Anya is of my own creation.

The crisp, winter breeze swept through her brunette curls, causing them to flutter like ribbons in the wind as she looked outward to the sea with tear filled eyes. She had lost everyone she ever loved, be it through illness or old age. Her life was empty. She had no siblings and her fiancé had left her for another woman. What was left for her other than her desk job? Friend? What friends? The sun was setting and the ice White moon began to make an appearance. Taking in a deep breath, throwing her shawl to the floor, her arms bare to the cold atmosphere, and looking up to the sky, tears strolling down her face, she whispered "father, forgive me". With a terrified step forward, the female glanced back over her shoulder towards her house for one final look and took a deep breath. Facing back to the sea, she went limp as her foot stepped out into the air, her body plummeting to the bottom. As she drew closer and closer to her end, her only thoughts were of her family, her loved ones.

..

The company of dwarves rode earnestly across the green barren land with the young hobbit in tow and the grey wizard and the determined prince just in front. They had heard noises for the past day or so that indicated that some sort of Orc pack was tracking their every movement, which posed the question, "how did they know of their journey?" They were silent, slipped away like an unspoken shadow, yet they seemed to find them wherever their foot landed. Thorin Oakenshield was still doubtful of the little hobbit that had been named 'the burglar', for at the moment he appeared more of a burden than a help. He had no experience in the field of fighting, which also made him a liability. He was thankful, however, that the hobbit proved to have great speed at walking; never slowing them down. That was one thing Thorin could not fault Bilbo for; his walking. It had been several days since the departure from the shire and all seemed eager to begin this journey. The weather had been mostly graceful to the company, and for the time being, not one Orc or monster alike had crossed their path. Gandalf prayed that their situation would stay the same until they reached Rivendell (a fact with Thorin and the rest of the company however, were unaware of). Feeling that it was time for all to rest and feed, given that the sun was nearing the time to set and all had gone some time without eating, Thorin spotted a large rock nearing them which seemed to be spacious enough for all of them to take shelter. Raising his arm, Thorin indicated to the others to halt. Turning his head, the prince regarded his friends and nephews. "We shall rest in that cave for tonight. The night is drawing near" the company grumbled amongst themselves, feeling weary and hungry. They dismounted their steeds and pulled them along, strolling toward the hidden shelter that the prince had spotted, with their shoulders slouched and their eyes red. It had been a trying day to say the least. Thorin's eyes grew smaller as he peered into the darkened cave. All seemed clear as the depth of the cave was not that deep, which also meant that they would feel the cold this night; being unable to shy away from it due to the lack of space. Marching in, his boots pounding the rocky surface, Thorin eyed a spot at the front that he would claim as his this night; quite a handy space to keep watch. The others scurried in and instantly fled to the back. Fili and Kili nodded to their uncle on passing and eagerly sought to make a fire for a nice, warm, cooked dinner, which would be, without a shadow of a doubt, rabbit. When all were crammed in and Gandalf the grey sat opposite Thorin and the men began to loosen up and talk with one another. The leader however, was not in a spirited mood, and stayed silent, ever watchful of the outside, knowing that no matter where they were, danger would always lurk.

"Come on Bilbo! Bombur could demolish a horse in the time it's taking for you to skin that animal; we are starved!" Dwalin whined as his stomach roared with hunger. Bilbo, the hobbit, rolled his eyes in great frustration. Always complaining, never happy or content, Bilbo thought to himself and he tried to skin the animal faster. Meanwhile, the youngest of the company, Fili, Kili and Ori took in turn telling tales to the tired group, making the mood a little more bearable, and every so often, the golden haired Fili would glance over at his uncle, sighing at his silence.

"Something troubles you" stated the wizard to the prince as he lit his pipe with the tip of his finger. Thorin pulled his eyes away from the darkness of the night and glared at the old man.

"What makes you think that?" challenged Thorin, clearly displeased that Gandalf had interrupted his thoughts.

"You are seldom withdrawn Thorin. You look like you have not seen sleep in Many a year, and you have not voiced a single word this day until you announced that we would stay here for the night. The others are talking" pointed out the magical elder.

"They may think what they please. It is not of their concern what enters my mind. I wish to be left to my thoughts" scoffed Thorin, turning his face away to resume keeping a watch.

"That may be so, master Oakenshield, but when it is your nephews that worry-" Gandalf began but was cut off not only by a sudden snap of Thorin's face in his direction, but a stout old dwarf bringing them a beverage. Oin passed a small cup each to them and waited for a moment. "Thank you dear Oin" Gandalf said moments later.

"Not a problem. Y'er food will be done soon" Oin responded and looked quickly to his prince. "Are you ok Thorin?" sighing, the prince looked up at his friend and gave a weak smile and a side headed nod.

"I am well. Go further in away from the cold" Thorin spoke gently but with authority. Oin nodded and walked away leaving the situation, once more, awkward.

"You make sure the others are well, yet you neglect to look after yourself" stated the old man, taking a puff of his old Toby.

"Watch what you say wizard" Thorin warned and stood up, stretching his legs. Gandalf exhaled in defeat and turned his attention to the stories being told.

...

"Uncle, here's your food" Fili spoke quietly, kneeling down next to Thorin, slightly concerned at his lack of communication this day. Thorin looked up at his nephew and smiled. Ahh, dear Fili, a spitting image of his father, yet he held his mother's eyes. After looking at his charming nephew for a moment, feeling suddenly maternal over him, Thorin broke away and stared down at the stew.

"I have lost my appetite this eve, give it to Bombur" Thorin spoke softly.

"Thorin, you have not eaten since yesterday, it would be wise to consume something now. Please, eat it, besides, Bombur has eaten enough! Two bowls he has consumed already!" Fili pleaded and thrust to bowl toward his uncle. Thorin sighed and took the bowl from Fili's hand.

"Thank you Fili" his deep voice rolled off his Tongue in a mix of emotions.

"Will you come and sit by the fire? I can take watch with Kili" he asked.

"No, it is all right, go and keep warm. I will stay watch; you have both done enough this day" Thorin answered and returned his gaze to the darkness

...

All had settled as the fire began to die down. The hobbit had fallen asleep as well as the elder of the dwarves and the nephews of the prince. Ori sat into a corner, wrapping his coat around his chest, trying to heat his body when a sound echoed outside causing him to sit alert.

"Did you hear that?" Ori asked shakily looking down to the front of the cave at the leader of the company and the grey wizard. Thorin shot up from his slouched position and jumped to his feet. Holding out his arm to silence those who were awake, the prince approached the outside of the cave they were currently occupying and looked out with fear that an orc Pack had finally found them, planning to ambush them. Upon lookout, not a single being was seen. Only the swaying trees swinging in the moonlight were seen. With a great sigh, Thorin turned away with a smile of relief displayed on his face. Stepping backward with the intention of sitting down, Thorin came to a halt once more as a frightened cry echoed in the darkness waking all the company from their slumber; a cry of which was not an Orc cry but that of a human or possibly elf or dwarf. It was certain however that it was female, which was even more unsettling to the dwarven prince. Grabbing his almightily axe, Thorin Oakenshield stalked out into the open, weary that he might encounter an enemy. With his nephews up at the ready behind him, the son of Thrain searched the area for the owner of the cry.

Crawling along the damp grass, the unnamed being whimpered at the injuries she had sustained. The blood loss was not substantial, yet enough to make her feel queasy and light headed- something of which slowed her down greatly. She had been attacked on the moors whilst looking for cover away from the enemy that roamed the land. The area was foreign to her, it was not what she was used to at all, and it frightened her. As she crawled along the floor, she thought of her home and how she wished to be there and how she would give anything to be there, safe and warm once more.

Thorin peered into the darkness, past the steeds, and his ice blue eyes caught hold of the slowly approaching creature, or whatever it maybe and raised his weapon in the air. Kili spotted it also and placed an arrow to his bow, ready to fire. On hearing the sound of weapons being drawn the female glanced up and gasped in fear as figures surrounded her in the darkness. Spotting a man, with hair the colour of night raising what seemed to be an axe in the air, ready to bring it down on him, the woman screamed.

"No please! Don't hurt me!" her voice echoed among the trees in terror and Thorin's eyes widened in realisation that the creature was not a creature but a woman. Instantly dropping his weapon down on the ground, Thorin dropped to his knees beside her.

"What happened to you? This is no place for you to be wandering alone" his stern voice questioned as he grabbed her arm to lift her up. The woman hissed in pain as her sides pulled as her body was raised to a sitting position. Looking up at her helper, the woman gasped at his face. It was intense. Feeling unable to hold his stare, she looked away to the floor. "What is your name?" Thorin questioned, frowning with confusion as to why she looked away.

"Anya, my name is Anya" she whispered.

"Well Anya, let's get you out of the darkness" an elderly voice interrupted and Anya looked up at a tall, old man. Thorin nodded in agreement and stood to his feet. Gently he grabbed the woman's arms and pulled her to her feet. Anya gasped in pain and leant onto the leader of the company for support. Walking slowly, Thorin supported the woman as they walked to the cave, thankful that their heights did not differ.

"What race do you think she is?" Kili whispered to his brother and Gandalf as their followed their uncle into the cave. "She is short for the human race, clearly not elven and not of our kin"

"I do not know. Maybe she will tell us?" Fili replied quietly.

"How came you by this place?" Thorin asked, lowering the woman to where he previously sat; the rest of the company looked on with great interest at this woman's presence. All watched on with great curiosity at the brunette woman, with locks so long they embraced her lower back. Her clothes seemed foreign. She was clad in a dress of deep blue; what was left of it anyway. The straps on her shoulders were still intact, but the length which pooled to the floor was now just below her knees; the ends ragged and ripped. Her eyes were what made everyone stare intently forwards her, they were a very pale blue, almost white, and the pupils of her eyes were very large, as if she had been looking around in a dark room for many a year.

"I don't know. I remember falling from a cliff by my home. I must have blanked out, because the next moment, I wake and A group of... Hideous creatures cornered me in what looked like a forest. I ran but they followed -" Anya cut off and looked out into the open, her eyes filling with tears.

"You fell from a cliff?" inquired Nori, frowning as he tried to visualise that, looking over Dori's shoulder at the female. Anya turned her face towards the questioner and was about to reply to his inquiry when a shot of pain racked her ribs and she grabbed her side with a hiss. Thorin's eyes widened suddenly in concern and glanced over at the wizard for assistance.

"My dear, are you well?" Gandalf asked on noticing and slowly approached the woman on the floor. Anya nodded, about to voice her reply, when her body could take no more and her eyes rolled in the back of her head and she slumped unconsciously against the stone wall. All gasped in shock and the grey wizard lowered to his knees, checking the female's temperature and beats of her pulse. As he sighed, Mithrandir lowered his eyes and gazed at the reddened piece of cloth covering her rib cage; and then he recalled how she hissed when Thorin helped her up from the grassy ground. "She is wounded; we must take a look" Thorin Oakenshield groaned inwardly and crossed his arms. Great, the thought, just what their company needed right now.

"Alright, everyone, get some rest, I will aid the wizard with this woman. It might take some time and you need your energy for the mornings walk" Thorin spoke with authority and all obeyed, quickly finding their spot once more on the ground, not wanting to argue with the irritated prince. Gandalf placed down his staff once more and reached across, lifting up the reddened cloth on the woman, instantly grabbing Thorin's blanket to cover her modesty, and keep it out of sight. As he looked over the area of skin that was torn, the wizard surveyed that the wound was not deep, but near to infection. "How is she?" inquired the son of Thrain.

"She will be fine, as long as I clean the wound" responded the elder. "Help and old man lay here down" Thorin nodded and approached, gently taking hold of Anya's arms. Gradually he lowered her until her back led flush against the ground. Reaching for his fur coat, Thorin folded it and placed it under her head. "You seem annoyed" Gandalf pointed out as he dabbed a damp cloth over her wound. Thorin exhaled as he watched the wizard at work.

"This is not what we need right now" grumbled the prince.

"Would you rather she be left out in the cold for dead?" Gandalf inquired raising his thick, grey eyebrow.

"Of course not. I wish death on no man..." corrected the black haired dwarf, feeling suddenly guilty of his words. "Will she be well enough to venture out when the sun rises?"

"It all depends if she heals well. Thorin, we cannot be expected to just leave her alone like this. If she turns for the worst, we will have an obligation to stay with her, and we shall. Besides, your nephews seem to want to ask questions of her" Gandalf responded and the prince nodded in understanding and resumed watching the wizard mend the woman's gash with thread and a needle that was found in his pouch. It took no longer than ten minutes to finish up and the wizard smiled at his handy work. Not bad for one not too experienced in the art of healing, he pondered. Pulling Anya's clothing back down over her lower body, Gandalf stood up, his legs crunching, and moved over to the other end of the cave to get some sleep. Thorin smiled at the old man who fell into a deep sleep, snoring loudly and he shuffled to the side so that he sat next to Anya's head, looking down at her with a mix of concern and annoyance. Concern at her health and why she was so far from... Wherever she was from... and annoyance that her presence stopped their journey at this current time. Master Oakenshield felt conflicted and he crossed his arms against his chest, not feeling tired... Just watching.


	2. Chapter 2

"No, stay still" Thorin whispered in the cave as Anya wriggled, her eyes open, scanning at darkened area.

"Where am I?" she replied, her eyes locking on to a pair of ice blue ones. Thorin placed his battle warn, warm hands on the woman's head and smiles reassuringly

"You are safe. You are with my company and I in a cave, resting for the night." spoke Thorin. Anya smiled weakly and roamed her eyes over the man, taking in his height, his braids and long hair, his dark clothes with elegant patterns of sliver sewn on, and then the sheath of his blade.

"you are small for a man" she stated, her tone sounding surprised as if she had never set eyes on one, as if it were a myth, and that was exactly what she was thinking.

"That is because I am a dwarf" Thorin said with pride in his voice.

"I have only ever heard of your race in mythologies and old wives tales." Thorin was taken aback by her reply and looked up for a moment at his men. How can she have thought us mere tales? He thought then turned back towards her.

"What are you? You are clearly not dwarven, nor eleven or Halfling, and humans are generally taller" Thorin inquired, feeling slightly guilty because these were the questions his nephews wished to ask in the morn, but the oaken master could not wait.

"Elven? Halfling? What? I am human. I'm a Homunculus. A human with a miniature stature If you like; perfectly formed but small." she replied, her voice weary.

"I have never heard of such a thing" Thorin scoffed, feeling suddenly weary of the woman, as if she were lying, holding the truth from him.

"Well then, we are both on the same track" Anya commented and felt a shiver rush over her body. "I'm cold"

"I'm not surprised. You are clad in naught but your undergarments" Thorin replied coolly, as his eyes roamed down her torso at the torn dress that he presumed were 'undergarments'. Anya's brow furrowed and looked down at herself and regarded her dress. It was a dress not underwear! She thought and then pondered the man's... No, the dwarf's strange way of speaking, as if he were from the 1700's; so proper and well spoken. Feeling too weak to argue back, Anya curled up into a foetal position and tried to shield herself from the night's cold by facing the master dwarf, tucking her head in towards his thighs. Thorin swallowed uncomfortably as he watched the female move close to him and he was tempted to shuffle away when he realised that she was just seeking heat. A thought came into mind suddenly about footwear. If she was clad in such an item, was she barefoot also. Looking down at her feet, master Oakenshield gazed at the strange material covering her feet. How to they even stay on? He pondered. Anya was wearing a dark pair of dolly shoes that had lost their shine. Content that she had footwear on to protect her feet; the prince pulled his eyes away and rested his head against the cave wall. Anya had drifted off to sleep and the prince found his opportunity to drift off himself.

...

"Here, take my cloak to cover yourself; I have enough meat on my bones to keep me warm" a voice echoed in the princes ear and he began to wake from his sleep. And he slowly opened his eyes, he watched as Dwalin passed his cloak to the female whom now sat by the fire, warming herself. So, it was not a dream, he thought to himself. Rubbing his eyes to wake himself completely, Thorin sat up straight and stretched his legs outward; his eyes never leaving the woman.

"Would you care for a sausage miss?" Ori inquired as he poked and prodded the meat that spun over the orange flames.

"No, thank you" Anya said and caused every head in the cave to turn towards her in shock. Did this woman deny food? Never in their wildest dreams would their dwarven kin deny an opportunity to indulge in some food. Anya felt suddenly uncomfortable by all the glances her way and tried to look everywhere but their eyes, but it turned out that wherever her eyes did land, was a confused face of a dwarf. Turning her head to the side, the brunette's eyes locked onto the dwarven princes.

"You should eat" came his rough voice, and the others muttered among themselves as they looked on.

"No, really I'm fine" Anya repeated and gathered the cloak around her body as she stood to her feet, wincing as her wound pulled.

"You'll need all your strength lass" Balin offered calmly and Anya frowned at him.

"I'm a vegetarian alright! I don't eat meat. I was trying to be polite by rejecting your offer." she suddenly snapped.

"Yer don't eat meat?" Dwalin repeated, completely astounded.

"No, I don't. It tastes vile in my mouth. I would kindly accept an offer of fruit or vegetables, but judging by the fact that you only have meat on display, you have none" retorted Anya, and she turned her attention back toward the prince, ready to defend herself if he argued with her, but he said nothing, just sat, quietly, looking up at her with his blue eyes under dark brows.

"Well that is extraordinary" Bofur whispered among his friends Kili and Fili. Anya placed the cloak properly around her body and she held it tightly across her chest, then taking a deep breath, she stepped out of the cave, and that was when the prince opened his mouth once more.

"It is not wise that you wander off" his lusciously deep tones echoed in the cave.

"You are not my boss" she spoke over her shoulder and the dwarves gasped in shock at the way she had spoken to Thorin Oakenshield.

"Do you know whom you speak to?" Gandalf the grey asked quite intrigued as this female's confidence.

"No" she admitted and turned back around, looking at each face, raising her eyebrows.

"This is Thorin Oakenshield, prince of the last standing dwarven realm; Erebor, and the grandson of Thror the great" answered Kili with pride as he spoke about his uncle.

"That means nothing to me." shrugged Anya, as she looked at the young male. She did not answer such with the intention of being disrespectful, but answered with honesty, that this information 'did not mean' anything to her. This place was foreign to her, as was their race. A few of the men took offence to his, a few meaning the youngest; Ori, Kili and Fili, but the others, the oldest and wisest took her meaning and sincerity.

"What are you and where are you from?" Gandalf spoke, as he filled up his pipe ready for his morning smoke of old toby. Glancing over to the prince, Anya felt her cheeks redden. She had spoken to this man such carelessly last night and he was of royalty, but, he did listen to her when she spoke about what she was and he did not react. So, feeling confident, she smiled at him and replied

"I am a Homunculus; a perfectly shaped miniature human... And, I'm from Cornwall..." when she spoke of the place where she came from she noticed the puzzled expressions on every males face "... England..." she offered to prompt a reaction, but again, nothing. "... Britain..." again nothing. "... Really? You have no heard of any of those?" all shook their heads silently.

"How old are you?" Fili asked cautiously.

"I am 20 years old" she answered.

"You are a mere child" gasped Thorin and he jumped to his feet in surprise.

"Excuse me? I am an adult! Where I come from, you are classed as an adult at the age of 18!" Anya replied, offended.

"Forgive me, I did not mean to offend, but in our lands, you are still a mere child. What a difference there is between us it would seem."

"Yes well, I would appreciate it if you would treat me as the adult I am. Child indeed (!)" she scoffed and stared into the fire, her arms crossing her chest with an unimpressed expression on her face. Gandalf chuckled to himself, completely amused at the situation and puffed away joyfully on his pipe of old Toby. Thorin had shrugged his shoulders and left the female to herself, Stepping over to his dear friends in deep conversation about the upcoming journey. Nori and Fili sat a distance away however in a discussion regarding the woman; a conversation of which Gandalf was listening to. Nori spoke about his concerns for the woman. What is was that caused her to fall into such misery that she felt the need to throw herself from a cliff? Or where this female was from exactly; this place was obviously foreign to her. And a Homunculus? Fili was saying in great puzzlement, he had never heard of such a thing. The conversation had gone on for some time that no one realised until master Baggins spoke, that the woman in question had vanished. Fili jumped to attention and scanned the cave before leaping to his feet. Rushing to the cave entrance her looked out at the vast green space for a sign of blue. Thorin too joined his nephew at the front of the cave with his axe in hand and squinted, gazing through the trees.

"She has gone!" exclaimed the blonde dwarf, the nephew of the prince. "And she knows about us! What if she slips into the presence of those we are trying to avoid?"

"Calm yourself young dwarf..." spoke the wizard, leaning heavily on his staff as he addressed the company."... I doubt very much that she has gone far. She knows not the place, so it would deem foolish to stray too far away. I gather she has merely gone for a stroll. It is rather stuffy in this hole. Perhaps that is our Que. to break away from camp and proceed with our journey? We might catch her on the way." Thorin nodded in agreement, thinking that Gandalf's words seemed wise, and took back into the cave, packing away his things while the others did so too. Once packed and ready to continue their quest, the prince led his men from the cave with the wizard and hobbit on tail. They had not gotten far past trees and rocks when the wise man's words came true; up ahead was Anya, walking through the long grass, without a care in the world.

"Miss Anya!" Balin called out happily, and the brunette turned around and took in the sight of 13 armoured dwarves, a hobbit and wizard astride donkeys and a horse, approaching slowly. Anya waved with a smile displayed on her face.

"We were concerned at your absence" Fili stated as they grew closer.

"Concerned? You have known me for less than a day, why would you care?" Anya asked, raising her eyebrows. Thorin was taken aback by her words and glanced to his nephew, curious about his reply, but instead of Fili replying, Mr Baggins spoke up.

"Miss, you are injured, all alone in a place foreign to you, and a dangerous one at that, of course we would be concerned. We would be concerned for you even if it were merely an hour ago we met." he spoke with gentleness and kindness.

"oh, well, thanks for that" Anya replied, scratching the back of her neck, feeling highly uncomfortable at the hobbits words, after not being used to this kind of concern from anyone. "I'm ok though, so I'll be out of your hair now"

"Where will you go?" Dwalin asked, challenging her, Fili's words in the cave echoing in his mind. What if she was a spy and just lied? What if she left them now and went to another to deliver information?

"Attempt to try and find a way back home I guess; unless you can lead me to Cornwall safely?" Anya asked, hopeful that they could.

"I'm sorry dear, but truly, this place you speak of is not known here..." Gandalf spoke up and watched as Anya's face scrunched up in confusion.

"Oh well, maybe you lot don't, but others might" said Anya, looking at each face, her stomach suddenly filling with dread.

"You do not seem to understand..." began Thorin Oakenshield. "There is no place called 'corn wall' in our world. You must be mistaken, perhaps confused with the name?"

"I am not confused! I know where I come from thank you very much! It obviously is around here somewhere as how else would I have gotten here? If only I had a sat nav right now!" shouted the restless woman.

"Sat nav?" Ori sat, rolling the words on his Tongue

"Yes, sat nav... Satellite navigation... Where are you people from! You don't know what a sat nav is, don't know where Cornwall or even Britain is, you speak like you have a silver spoon stuck up your backside and you dress like you're from a renaissance fare!" Anya ranted, flailing her arms in the air, tossing the cloak Dwalin had given her to the floor, exposing her pale arms and legs.

"You best calm down lass" Dwalin warned. The female cast him a glare that would kill a thousand armies if looks could kill and she crouched, gathering the cloak from the ground and wrapping it back around her body.

"my dear, we cannot offer you a safe path home, for we know not where it is, but we can certainly offer you safety until we reach a village of some sort that may be able to offer guidance or opinion" mentioned the grey wizard smiling gently at the frantic woman. Anya sighed and glanced up at the leader of the company and saw annoyance in his eyes. She did not blame him, she did turn up during their so called journey and stalled them, but then she thought, he could at least keep his emotions hidden rather than displaying them and making her feel like rubbish.

"I don't want to be a burden, although I'm already getting the impression that I already am" she retorted, gazing at the oaken master. Thorin lowered his eyes for a moment, as he took in her words. "But I don't know where I am, so I will accept your offer. I'll just keep to the back. I'm sure most of you will be happy with that" and with that, all muttered amongst themselves, and began to walk off as Thorin broke away. The dark haired dwarf rode past Anya and looked into her eyes with no emotion before he walked past. "Snob" she muttered under her breath and waited for all to pass until the grey haired man pulled her up onto his horse and both rode together in silence.

...

"We shall rest here for now to catch our breath and eat. Fili, Kili, search the area. Bofur, Bilbo, can you get something cooking?" Thorin announced, dismounting his steed and dropping his axe and bag to the floor wearily. All nodded, tying their rides to trees so that they would not run away, and set off to their quests whilst Anya stood out like a sore thumb, her back turned to all, and a little distance away, looking back over the land they just covered in anew hours. Thorin glanced up at the silent woman and exhaled loudly, but why he didn't know. Was it because of annoyance? Guilt at what she had said? Frustration that she had once again walked away from them? Walking past the chattering dwarves whom now settled on the floor once Fili and Kili gave the all clear, Thorin trod towards Anya.

"Why do you stand here?" he asked.

"Am I not allowed?" questioned Anya, never looking at him.

"Of course, by all means... But you are alone. Come to the camp; Bofur is cooking something up and Gandalf can take a look at your wound to see if it is healing well" explained the royal dwarf.

"My side is fine, I checked it this morning." came her cool reply.

"I offer you food and comfort" Thorin scoffed at her ignorance.

"Begrudgingly, yes" her voice sounded, now facing the prince, with arms folded. "You offer because you feel obligated to, not because you care. I saw it in your eyes, from the moment that old man said for me to join you; you hated the idea. So please, spare me your hollow words."

"I assure you, my words are neither filled with obligation nor are they hollow. Come to the camp" Thorin replied, stepping sideways, indicating for her to walk on, but Anya stood still in her place, staring intently at the master dwarf. "Come" he repeated more sternly. Anya huffed and walked past, refusing to lock her eyes onto the frustrating dwarf.

"Ahh dear Anya, we wondered where you had gotten too!" Gandalf exclaimed as he eyed the small human approaching very rapidly. "Master Bofur has found you some ripe apples to satisfy your hunger" he spoke and the woman looked around at the company of males with a blank expression.

"I'm sorry, but who is Bofur?" she spoke and Gandalf raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"Oh I do apologise, have we forgotten to introduce ourselves?" chuckled Gandalf to himself.

"Well then, I'll start. My name is Fili" the young blonde dwarf spoke with a cheeky grin displayed on his face, and gave a short bow.

"And I am Kili, brother of Fili" said another, young, handsome dwarf with stubble over his chin and cheeks. He too had a cheeky grin.

"I'll be Balin lass, and this'll be my brother Dwalin" the kind looking, White haired dwarf spoke up, slapping his hand on the back of a taller dwarf with a bald head and passive expression.

"My name is Ori" came a soft voice, so quiet it was almost undetected. Anya looked at its owner and she, once again noticed that he was young. He held in his arms leather bound book and on his face a weary expression. Anya nodded and smiled at him and turned to face a grey haired dwarf beside his with a fancy, plaited hairdo.

"My name is Dori, Ori and Nori's eldest brother" he exclaimed with pride and Anya looked to the dwarf beside him whom she gathered to be Nori, with his extravagant hair.

"You've already met me missy, I'll be bofur." said a dark haired dwarf with a rather strange hat on his head, flaps coming down either side.

"I'm Bombur, and this is bifur. He doesn't talk much" said a greatly robust dwarf.

"He has a hammer in his head" Anya stated, gazing at the metal wedged in the man's head as if it were nothing. "You have a hammer in your head" she replied once again, trying to understand why that was, but finding no reason for it. The dwarves began to chuckled amongst themselves at the woman's reaction and one by one sat down to eat their fill of lunch. Anya shook her head and turned to face the old man.

"You know, smoking is bad for you" Gandalf looked in surprise at her words but carried on smoking his pipe. "Fine, die younger then" she muttered and dropped down on an empty section of grass, reaching for an apple that had been placed on a blanket nearby.

"May I join you?"

"Sure, it's Fili right?" Anya inquired and the blonde nodded with a smile and plonked down beside her. All was silent for many moments but the brunette could feel the dwarf's eyes on her repeatedly and frankly it was rather off putting. Anya shuffled on the ground and placed down her half eaten apple, not wanting to eat under his gaze. "Are you going to say something or just stare?" she finally spoke up, not enjoying the looks and silence.

"My apologies miss, it's just, I have never seen a human as small as you in all my years... I would like to ask you something though; it has been bothering my dear friend Nori and I since your arrival. Why did you fall from the cliff? Did you jump from such a height, knowing that there was only one outcome?"

"I was hoping for that outcome" Anya replied stiffly, unaware that Thorin was leaning against a tree behind them, listening to their conversation.

"What would hurt you so much that you thought the only way out was to end it all?" Fili asked, flabbergasted.

"life. I'm sorry, but I do not want to talk about this. I'm alive, so that's that" Anya fumbled with her words and stood to her feet in a rush.

"oh miss Anya, forgive me, I meant not to pry, come, sit back down" Fili spoke, flustered and felt guilty as he watched the woman smile at him and walk away. Sighing in defeat, the young dwarf slouched backwards against a stone.

...

"we should get going" Thorin spoke up, after a while of keeping his eyes on the solemn woman sitting by herself near his pony. "it would not be a good idea for us to be caught in darkness whilst journeying." the others agreed soundly and swiftly they packed all of their belongings, and destroyed the fire until all sign of their presence was no more. Fili looked guilty once more as he approached Anya, and cleared his throat, gaining her attention.

"if you are agreeable, you may ride with me" he said, but noticed that her eyes had left his and looked upon one whom was approaching from behind. Thorin. The master of the company placed a hand on Fili's shoulder and leaned in, whispering something in his ear. Instantly Fili sighed and nodded and turned away, walking toward his pony.

"I see you have taken a liking to my steed" Thorin pointed out as Anya stroked the beats main. She merely nodded but did not speak; the frustration she felt for this dwarf still burnt in her chest. "you will ride with me" he spoke and Anya then did not think twice before holding her tongue.

"will I now? I think I will join Fili, after all he did ask nicely" she snapped and stepped away from the beast she had taken to petting.

"his pony is still growing, it is young. The weight of two would do it no good." Thorin replied coolly and Anya glanced over to said pony and realised that Thorin's words were true, it was a smaller once than his, and so, she accepted it.

"is that what you told Fili?" she asked.

"yes"

"why did you whisper?" she crossed her arms, and raises her eyebrows questioningly.

"it was no secret; I merely saved my nephew from embarrassment." Thorin defended himself and turned, taking hold of the ponies leather and pulled himself up onto it's back. "now, come" exhaling, Anya grabbed hold of Thorin's arm and allowed him to pull her up behind him in a swift movement. He was strong, that was sure. Looking helplessly at the seat she now occupied, trying to find something to hold onto, Anya found nothing. Glancing up at the dwarves back, Anya rolled her eyes and quickly wrapped her arms around his waist to hold her steady. Thorin was taken by surprise for a split second as arms wrapped around him, but it soon registered as to why. And so they began their second journey of the day in mostly silence, as Anya noticed every few minutes or so that Kili and Fili would talk amongst themselves then look towards her and Thorin, then back again.

"they look similar to you" Anya spoke up sometime later and Thorin looked to the side and regarded his nephews with a smile.

"of course they do. They are my sisters-sons" he said matter-of-factly with great pride and Anya smiled at the back of Thorin's head.

"do you have any sons?" she inquired, her grip lessening around his waist, feeling suddenly too close to him.

"I do not, nor do I have daughters or a wife" Thorin said coolly, eyeing an area up ahead where the remains of a house stood amongst some brambles and rocks. Thorin felt Anya slouch against him as he refused to talk anymore on the matter, and raised his fist in the air. "we will rest here for the night" he said with such authority and calmness. Grabbing onto the fur on the princes coat, Anya moved her leg over to join the other so that she was no longer straddling the pony, and jumped down onto the ground, letting go of the fur between her fingers. Thorin watched as she walked away and smile at his nephews, offering a helping hand as she pulled their packs from the steeds back. Gandalf began to look around the area, mentioning at once that the area belonged to a farmer and his family, and that it would be wise for them to move on. But, Dismounting his steed and approaching the wise wizard, the leader of the company disagreed, being a stubborn dwarf as was his way.

"where are you going?" Anya heard he young hobbit exclaim, and as she looked away from the young brothers, she watched as the wizard stormed past the group in annoyance.

"is he going to come back?" Anya inquired, looking back at the brothers.

"I hope so" Kili admitted and tapped his brother's arm for his to walk with him. "sorry miss, but we best be watching the ponies like Thorin said. Don't worry; the others will take good care of you"

….

That night, as Bilbo carried two bowls of gruel to Fili and Kili who were watching the ponies in the distance, Anya sat by the fire, staring into the flames in silence, with panic in her eyes. From the moment she heard Gandalf exclaim to Thorin that staying here for the night would deem a bad idea, she felt weary of the place. What was wrong with the area that made the old man exasperated by the leader and leave in a state of hurry that was neither settling nor welcomed by any of the dwarves? Refusing all offers of fruit from Bofur and Ori, Anya took to her feet and brushed off her dress, looking toward the direction where the hobbit had disappeared. Ignoring the spine tingling glare coming from Thorin, Anya broadened her shoulders and took off, in pursuit of the missing Mr Baggins. Swiftly she moved past shrubs and dying trees, trying to keep as silent as possible so as not to startle anything that might be lurking. Slowly she approached an area of fallen tree trunks, and there she spotted the playful nephews of master Oakenshield. Creeping up behind the blonde dwarf, Anya tapped his shoulder causing him to gasp in surprise and turn around in an instant, with his brother staring with wide, open eyes. "Miss you gave me a fright" Fili exclaimed

"Sorry. So, where is Bilbo?" inquired the young lady, glancing between the brothers with a raised eyebrow. Kili uncharacteristically bit his lower lip with a guilty expression on his face and glanced at his sibling. "Where is he?"

"Well, we encountered a slight problem, and our burglar has gone to check it out" Kili replied.

"What kind of problem?"

"One involving trolls" Fili responded and swallowed hard as the woman frowned at them.

"Oh haha, very funny. So, what problem" Anya chuckled to herself and rolled her eyes. She may not be from around here, but surely they did not expect her to believe such things as trolls. They definitly were just a story, a fairy-tale… right? She pondered for a moment.

"Miss Anya, we tell no lie… There are trolls just beyond those trees. Bilbo has gone in pursuit of them" Spoke Fili and the brunette widened her eyes as she saw no trickery in the male's eyes and exclaimed

"We should fetch the others!" the brothers agreed and commanded Anya to stay put. But being stubborn, a trait that she was yet to discover was common with the dwarves; she waited for the brothers to disappear and walked towards the threat.


	3. Chapter 3

Fili and Kili burst into the camp with wide eyes and beads of sweat on their brows. Thorin jumped to his feet as he looked at his nephews rush towards them, clearly distresses about something. Walking over to them in a fast pace, Thorin reached out his hand and placed it on kili's arm to calm him down. "What is wrong that makes you so flustered with panic? Is there an Orc pack scouting the area?" inquired the son of Thrain, looking away from his youngest nephew to his oldest, searching the blonde's eyes for an answer.

"No, not Orcs... There are trolls, up ahead. They have made camp. Bilbo went in after them, trying to rescue the ponies they had taken" Fili replied, trying not to stutter under his uncle's gaze.

"And what of the girl, I saw her leave towards you" said Thorin, looking back to Kili.

"We told her to stay hidden while we came to fetch you all" he replied, swallowing. Thorin nodded and looked over his shoulder to the company.

"Take up arms men, we have some trolls to fight" his voice reverberated around the trees. Kili pulled away from his uncle's touch and grabbed his brother, pulling him with him, and they ran back towards the trolls.

…

Anya watched as one of the hideous trolls picked up the hobbit and sneezed all over him. Covering her mouth, preventing herself from gagging, the brunette slowly crouched towards the fire, trying to stay as silent as possible until Kili burst through the bush and snarled at the beasts with a smirk on his face "drop him!" the trolls instantly looked toward the owner of the voice, and in a flash, Bilbo was thrown into the young dwarf. Gasping, Anya stood to her feet, not thinking, and was almost knocked to her feet when Thorin, axe in the air, came out of nowhere with his company in tow. Trying to dodge the swipes of the trolls and the swinging of the blades, Anya dropped to the floor and slithered like a snake toward a large boulder, hiding behind it, using it as a shield. Sometime past until Anya heard the fighting cease and Bilbo gasp. Looking over the boulder, her forehead just showing she looked in on in terror and the trolls holding the small man's arms and legs as if ready to tear him apart.

"Lay down your arms" the leader of the beasts snarled and Thorin growled before thrusting his sword into the ground in anger. Anya slouched back down in fear and kept her breathing at a steady pace as her ears heard each male get stripped of their armour, picked up and placed into sacks. Moving forward onto her hands and knees, the brunette crawled along the grass, and came to a pile of bodies. Turning her head Anya glanced at Thorin whom was currently biting the ropes, trying to break them with his teeth. Keeping low, Anya snuck closer to him and gave him a nudge with her elbow. Thorin jumped and dropped the ropes from his mouth, looking at Anya with wide eyes.

"What can I do?" she whispered. Thorin frowned and glanced back at the trolls, surveying their situation and wondering why the hobbit was standing. He had no chance against the trolls.

"Nothing" he whispered as his eyes never left the hobbit. Sighing, she turned her attention toward Bilbo.

"The secret to cooking a dwarf is too... Skin them first!" Bilbo exclaimed.

"Traitor!" shouted Thorin, causing Anya to jump. The trolls grunted and the largest steppes forward and reached for the largest dwarf, whom Anya presumed to be Bombur.

"No that one! He's infected. He's got worms... In his tubes. In fact they are all infested with parasites!" Bilbo babbled on and the dwarves shouted out in annoyance, betrayal and anger.

"We don't have parasites, you have parasites!" Kili shouted as he wriggled. Anya and Thorin in that instant noticed Bilbo sigh and roll his eyes. In one swift movement Thorin kicked his nephew and all fell silent.

"I have parasites as big as my arm" Oin declares.

"I have the biggest parasites, I have huge parasites" Kili responded like a child and the trolls looked around at each other with a grimace. The brunette woman suddenly thought of an idea to distract the trolls long enough for the approaching Gandalf to have his way with them. Jumping to her feet, Anya rushed over to the boulder of which she previously hid behind and climbed up onto it.

"Hey, hey you!" she shouted, waving her arms in the air. The trolls snapped their heads towards Anya and bared their teeth.

"What's that?" one grumbled.

"I don't know, but it's too noisy" said another. Anya grinned as she noticed Gandalf stand on the rock behind them and she quickly looked over to Thorin. The dwarf's eyes suddenly widened in horror, but before Anya could turn back to see what was the matter, a larva hand collided with her lower body, slapping against her wound, sending her into a large tree trunk with a great thud.

"The Dawn will take you!" Gandalf shouted after witnessing what just took place and thrust his staff against the slab of stone, causing it to break in two; the sunlight beaming on the mountain trolls causing them to slowly crackle into stone. Thorin smiled at Gandalf for a moment, then looked back over to where Anya was and now saw her body lying on the floor. Wrestling against his bonds, the prince let out a frustrated groan and kicked his legs forward, shuffling the sack own his body until it pooled own by his feet. Pushing himself up onto his knees, Thorin checked his nephews to see if all was well with them, before he rose to his feet and rushed over to the unconscious woman. Coming to a halt besides her, the dwarf surveyed the blood on her head and scanned her body, checking for any possibly/visible breaks – Thankful there was none.

"Anya, can you hear me?" He whispered, kneeling down, brushing her hair away from her face. Anya made a noise and moved her head, her eyes opening ever so slowly. "Anya?"

"Hmm?"

"Are you ok?" he repeated, his voice firm. Anya nodded, but as she did, a searing pain shot through her head and she gasped aloud. Raising her hand to her head, Anya opened her eyes fully and locked onto the concerned dwarf. Reaching a hand up, Anya grabbed onto Thorin's fur coat and held on tightly, pulling herself up to a sitting position. Thorin frowned in concern and picked her up slightly off the ground, placing her against the tree to support her. All was silent for a few moments until Anya looked him over and gave a quiet chuckle. "What is so funny?"

"You're in your underwear" She stated as she looked over his clothing. Thorin's eyes widened and he looked down at himself and realised that he was in his one piece that he wore underneath his armour. Completely forgetting that the trolls had removed their protective gear before they were slung into sacks. Clearing his throat, Thorin stood to his feet and looked back towards the camp noticing everyone putting their outer garments back on.

"I shall be back momentarily" He said without looking at Anya, and quickly walked away in embarrassment. Anya grinned after him, unaware of the wizards approach.

"Let me take a look" Gandalf spoke, placing his hand on Anya 'a head, glancing at the blood on her forehead. "It was brave of you to do that. You could have received a lot worse an injury. Trolls are not merciful creatures"

"I didn't want to see that lot get eaten" Anya replied, with a smile on her face and shrugged her shoulders. Gandalf hummed in reply and parted the woman's head, scanning her scalp.

"You were lucky indeed; you have a cut, but it is not deep. It will heal soon" Gandalf commented, with a grin and stepped away, reaching for a cup of water. "Here, drink this, and then clean then blood from your head. You must keep the wound clean"

"Thank you. You know, you remind me of my grandfather" Anya spoke, raising the cup to her mouth, taking a long gulp.

Gandalf tapped her shoulder in comfort and rose to his feet, leaving the small human to herself whilst he searched for the young hobbit. After consuming the whole of the cup, Anya found some more water and poured it over her head, wiping away the blood that was drying on her scalp. Once her head was as clean as could possibly be in the circumstance, her hair now soaked, Anya held the cloak that was still on her shoulders, closely around her body, and approached the others quietly; her head still throbbing.

….

"Anya! How are you?" Fili exclaimed, spotting the approaching woman and left his brothers side to meet her half way. He looked on with deep concern, his blue eyes shimmering in the sunlight.

"I'm ok, bit of a headache, but I'm ok" she replied, smiling at the blonde young man. He too, she surveyed, was quite the looker, much like his uncle and brother. Feeling a slight burn on her cheeks, she turned her eyes away from his line of sight and glanced over at the others.

"Are you warm? Your cheeks are colouring somewhat" he inquired, concern still evident in his voice.

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine." she answered, flustered and turned her eyes back toward him.

"There must be a cave around here" Anya heard Thorin speak in the distance.

"Over here!" said Nori excitedly. Fili grinned at Anya, and then took off in a run towards the others who began entering the cave that was some distance away. Feeling suddenly weary, all alone, now that the others took to plundering the cave of its treasures, the brunette wandered aimlessly around the fire, in and out of the trolls stone legs

"I don't think you should be alone miss, especially after what happened an 'all. Come sit by me until the others come back" A familiar voice spoke. Bilbo regarded the woman with soft eyes and a warming smile.

"Thank you Sir" Anya smiled with relief, that she was not the only one outside of the cave. Walking away from the troll's legs, the woman moved toward the hobbit and took seat next to him on a patch of emerald green grass. "What do you think is in the cave?"

"Well, judging by the smell, nothing pleasant" Bilbo said matter-of-factly. "Tell me something about yourself, Anya. I love a good story"

"Not much to tell really. I think I would send you off to sleep if I told you." she replied in a whisper.

"If that's the case, maybe you can talk to me all night… those blasted dwarves and their snoring keeps me awake all night" Bilbo joked, turning his head to look at the pale woman. "You must be awfully cold in that attire miss."

"I am cold" She agreed, and stared into the distance at the dancing orange flames sparkling in the golden sunlight.

"I heard you say something about falling from a cliff back home. How did that come about? You must have been pretty close to the edge" the inquisitive hobbit resumed with the questions, much to Anya's dismay. She hated talking about herself. It made her awfully uncomfortable to say the least. Shuffling on the grass, Anya cleared her throat. "Do not feel compelled to speak about it; I can see it is making you feel uncomfortable. Forgive my prying" Anya nodded silently, breathing steadily as images of the fast approaching sea flooded her mind. The pain she felt when she collided with the rocks, suddenly felt all the real. Placing her hands on her knees, Anya gasped a few times, closing her eyes, waiting, hoping for it to pass. Before Bilbo could ask what was wrong, Gandalf strolled over in a hurry and handed a sheathed blade to the hobbit. Bilbo looked in awe at the elvish blade and looked up at Gandalf – the wizard telling him that he hoped he would never have to use it.

"Something's coming!" One of the dwarves shouted and Anya snapped out of her daze, looking over as the dwarves assembled, weapons raised.

"What is it?" Anya asked, worry in her voice. Jumping to her feet, seeing past the pain, Anya held her cloak around herself and ran towards the others. Thorin turned around as he saw a flash of blue and watched as Anya approached his side.

"Stay close, we know not what approaches" He growled and the brunette eyed his new blade with curiosity. Not a moment later, whatever was approaching snapped twigs and crunched against leaves. A rabbit pulled sledge burst from the emerald trees and came to a sudden halt.

"Radagst?" Gandalf said incredulously.

"Gandalf!" The strange man in brown clothes replied, dismounting his sledge. "I must speak with you!" The grey wizard sighed and nodded, opening his arm as a welcome for the brown clad wizard to follow him to converse, all the while smiling at the leader of the company to reassure him all was well.

….

"What you suppose they're talking about? That other one looked freaked out" Bofur said, pointing over to the two conversing old men.

"Beats me, but it looks serious" Gloin commented, shrugging his shoulders.

"How do you feel? You look pale" Thorin ignored the others and gazed intently at the young woman.

"You're the second person to say that to me today. Im fine, really" retorted the petite woman, and she looked past the broad shoulders of the prince, towards the blonde dwarf. Thorin's brow furrowed and followed her line of sight, his eyes falling upon his golden nephew. Feeling a burning in his stomach, the son of Thrain snapped his focus back to the woman and clenched his fists, not know the reason for it, but it was a strong feeling he felt.

"I want you to stay close as we travel today" He commanded.

"Why you? I can stay close to any of the others. They are all capable of such things" Anya snapped, feeling suddenly irritable.

"Why are you against me?" Thorin snarled.

"Im not, I just don't like being told what to do!" Anya raised her voice.

"I am just-"

"Was that a wolf?" Bilbo suddenly spoke.

"That is no wolf" Bofur replied, raising his axe.

"Whom else did you tell about this quest?" Gandalf growled at Thorin.

"No one, I swear! What in Durins name is going on?" Thorin questioned, looking between the wizard and Anya.

"You are being hunted" Gandalf stated.

"I will lead them away!" Exclaimed the brown clad wizard suddenly.

"These are Gundabad Wargs, Radagast, they will outrun you!" Scoffed Gandalf the grey.

"And these as Rhosgobel rabbits – I'd like to see them try" said Radagast in a threatening tone, not towards the grey wizard, but in thought of the foul creatures that violated the land.

…

Taking hold of Anya's arm, Thorin pulled her after him as they ran out of the trees into the wild as Radagast; the brave, brown wizard delayed the warg scouts with his comical sledge and abnormally large rabbits. The speed in which they took off was so great that Anya's legs took to sudden shock, pain shooting through them, and her cloak flew from her shoulders against the wind. As it dropped to the floor, Anya looked over her shoulder to eye her lost cloak, wanting to retrieve it, but Thorin tugged her arm once more, edging her to pick up speed. "Leave it. We do not have time to fetch it" He said breathlessly, as he looked up ahead towards the wizard whom came to a halt by a large boulder. "Where are you leading us?" The prince snarled at the old man, his hand still tightly wound around the woman's arm.

"Come" Mithrandir replied and took off past the frustrated dwarf. Baring his teeth, Thorin followed, eyeing his nephews in front to make sure they were well. Gandalf instantly took off to the side out of sight, the dwarves oblivious to this fact, but Anya watched on with confusion. Fili and Kili split up ahead, as did Dwalin, and all raised their weapons as the Wargs approached at a vicious pace.

"We're surrounded!" Fili shouted in a mix of anger and fear.

"The wizard, where is he?" Dori questioned, looking around at the area, his heart sinking.

"Gandalf has deserted us!" Dwalin fretted, eyeing the nearing beasts with hatred.

"Over here you fools!" A familiar voice suddenly sounded and every dwarf, Bilbo and Anya turned their heads in its direction and all spotted the wizard standing behind a large rock. Thorin nodded to the others, and Thorin rushed toward the old man, standing on a small boulder, oblivious to the fact he had let go of Anya in the process. Thorin patted the men's backs as each slid down the rocky slop, following the magical man. Fili slid down in an instant after eyeing his brother whom was shooting arrows, and as he landed below with the others, he searched the cave and all the faces. Where was Anya?

"Kili!" Thorin shouted for his nephew to come, and the young dwarf withdrew his bow from attack mode and ran towards the prince, nodding at him as he slid down. Taking a deep breath, Thorin followed just behind.

"Where is Anya?" Fili questioned as he saw the last person to enter the dark space was in fact his uncle.

"The girl!" Bofur exclaimed, taking in a sharp breath. Thorin's eyes widened and he looked up at the entrance. How would he climb that slope without falling back down?

"Where are you? Please! Where are you?" Anya screamed, her eyes wide with fright as they locked onto the four legged beasts, with hideous riders astride them.

"Anya, follow our voices!" Gandalf bellowed. Anya frantically looked around the moor – there was so many rocks, they could be behind any of them! She thought, fear stuck.

"I don't know where you are!" She responded, her voice breaking as she cried in horror. An orc snarled with glee as he spotted the female all alone, and he kicked the sides of the warg, edging it on. The warg roared and kicked its claws on the ground, speeding up towards its possible meal. "Help me!" She screamed once more, stumbling backwards over a small rock.

"We must get to her!" Fili spoke, his eyes filled with fear. Thorin nodded in agreement and looked back at the wizard/

"Help us get to the top" He said with great authority.

"I-" Gandalf began, but was cut off by a final scream bursting from Anya's lungs.

"Anya!" Fili, Bofur, Balin and Thorin cried out in unison. Seconds later a horn blasted in the distance, and the shrieks of the orc echoed in the cave below. Not a moment later, a body of a slain orc rolled down the slope into the companies midst, an arrow imbedded in its chest. Thorin reached down and pulled out the arrow, regarding it for a moment.

"Elves" He said with disgust and tossed it back to the floor.

"Maybe they found Anya just in time?" Ori said hopefully, looking at his future king with glazed eyes. Thorin felt his heart sink as his eyes trailed back to the entrance of the cave. He was sure it was not his imagination, but he thought he hear his eldest nephew utter the name of the woman on his lips in complete and utter sorrow. A burning sadness welled up inside of him.

"We can but hope" Thorin said quietly, looking at the cave floor.

"We are not going to check if she is there?" Kili asked incredulously, eyeing his uncle. "She could be hurt. We cannot be sure the elves found her!"

"And we cannot be sure she is alive!" Thorin answered, glaring back at his nephew, with annoyance and hurt evident in his pale blue eyes.

"So you mean not to check?" Bilbo spoke, taken aback by the whole situation. Thorin opened his mouth, ready to reply, when his old friends Dwalin spoke up.

"There is a path that leads somewhere. Should we follow it?"

"Yes" Gandalf replied, and the remaining dwarves and hobbit looked at the old man in shock. "I believe she is safe"

"And we are to trust the beliefs of an old man?" Thorin scoffed.

"It was I that got you and your men to safety, master Oakenshield, so I think trusting me would do you well" Gandalf replied, his brow furrowing. "Now come" the dwarves and Bilbo walked with melancholy steps through the very narrow pathway in silence. Thorin waited one more moment and glanced back at the entrance of the cave with a great sigh.

What if Kili was right. She could be lying up there, all alone, injured, or worse. He pondered. He was so frightened. Her screams did something to him that he never thought he would feel in his lifetime, and it was clear that his golden haired nephew felt the same. Swallowing hard, Thorin turned on his heels and pursued the others.


	4. Chapter 4

Golden rays of sunshine flickered behind Anya's eyelids. The sounds of peaceful waterfalls and bird songs echoed in her ears. Was this heaven? She thought as she began to come around. Stretching her hands and toes, the brunette felt a great ache across her body and she groaned aloud. Gradually opening her eyes, the petite woman gazed upon a magnificently architectured room. Shapes and faces calved at almost every corner and beautiful silks were draped neatly everywhere. It was at this point where Anya found herself befuddled. Shouldn't she be on a grassy moor? Perhaps all that was a dream and she was in an old hospital after her fall from the cliff? Placing her hands either side of her legs, Anya propped herself up to a sitting position.

"Ah, you are awake." an unfamiliar voice sounded. Anya looked to her left and gazed at a tall man, with long dark hair and clad in a purple robe.

"Where am I?" she asked, weary of this unknown place.

"You are in the house of lord Elrond; Rivendell" the elf replied.

"How did I get here?" inquired the petite woman.

"My lord Elrond found you in the moors. He sent one of his men up ahead with you. It was vital that we tend to your wounds. Lord Elrond will be with us at some point this afternoon. You may speak with him then. Until such time, it would be wise to rest"

"What's your name?" asked Anya.

"I am Lindir" he smiled, giving a short bow.

"My lord Lindir..." a female voice came from nowhere. Anya looked towards the door and a stunning lady stood; the most beautiful of women her eyes had clapped onto. "There are dwarves in the courtyard accompanied by none other than Mithrandir"

"I shall be there momentarily" she replied and the women took off with such elegance. "Stay and rest. I will return to check on you. There is no need to be weary of this place. You are safe" he added and with that and one swift movement, he was gone.

...

"My lord Elrond is not here" Lindir said to the wizard, looking cautiously at the armed dwarves. It was by chance that in that moment the blast of a horn sounded and a gathering of beautiful mares and riders shot forth towards the courtyard. The dwarves saw this as an instant threat and all huddled together in battle stance. The elves on horseback surrounded the company, until all came to a halt and one dark haired male jumped down.

"My lord Elrond" Gandalf chuckled, placing a hand over his chest in respect.

"Gandalf!" exclaimed the elf and walked towards him, tapping him on the arm in welcome. He began speaking to the wizard in his own tongue after passing a blade to Lindir and addressing a very frustrated Thorin. Turning to face the dwarves, Elrond's elvish words flowed fluently off his Tongue with a smile.

"Does he offer us insult!" growled Gloin, stepping forward with a growl.

"No master Gloin, he is offering you food" Gandalf replied and the dwarves began to talk in deep discussion; Thorin and Dwalin clearly unimpressed.

"Well, in that case, lead on" Gloin finally answered, and Elrond chuckled.

...

"My lady? Lord Elrond thought it be good for you to come and eat something. I have surveyed your wounds and you are healing at a rapid pace. This would do you good" Lindir spoke, Walking into the room Anya currently occupied with a dress, leggings, a long tunic and boots piled in his arms. "Also, I am to provide you with clothing. Your previous attire was almost no more. I brought an array of items, if this dress is not to your taste. There is a guard standing outside whom will escort you to the lords table once you are dressed" placing down the clothes on the bed, Lindir smiled and bowed at the brunette and left the room to return to his lord. Anya sighed and pulled herself back up and swung her legs off the bed. Pausing a moment, Anya stretched her arms then slide from the bed, yawning from tiredness. Looking around the room spotting a mirror, and walked over to it, the elves words echoing in her mind. "Your wounds and healing at a rapid race" what wounds, she thought. As she approached her reflection, she gazed at it with a feeling of sickness. A cut from her forehead, down over her right eye and finishing at her cheek was the first thing she spotted. The other was what she presumed to be a scar from some sort of bite on her neck; the teeth marks evident. Swallowing hard, not wanting to look another moment at herself, Anya turned away and walked to the clothes. Beautiful, the truly were. Not wanting to wear another dress, Anya instantly picked up the beige leggings and pulled them on, once again coming to another realisation that she was clad in a differed dress for the time being. After tying the strings around her waist, Anya reached for the White tunic with gold embroidery on it; a truly pretty top. Sliding it on, finding that that also fit perfectly, and plonked herself back onto the bed and reached for the boots. Taking on and lifting her leg, Anya pulled it on and it came to a halt just under her knees. She wouldn't say out loud, but she had a thing for long boots. After putting on its twin, Anya took a deep breath and ventured to the door.

"Lindir said you'd take me for food?" she spoke gently and the guard, clad in silvers and blues nodded with a smile, and silently he led Anya to the lords table.

...

"Where's the meat?" Dwalin said with frustration, grabbing the salad in the bowl with disgust.

"Go on, try it, just a bite" Dori said to his younger brother Ori.

"I don't like green food" Ori said in a wine and Dori sighed, turning away. On the other end of the table sat the lord of the city, Elrond Peredhil, sitting regally, eyes roaming with great interest at the blades presented to him.

"This is orcrist, the goblin cleaver. May it serve you well" he commented and passed said blade back to Thorin with a grin. Thorin nodded in thanks and cocked his head to the side, regarding the elven lord. "And this, this is glamdring, the foe hammer" he said, looking over Gandalf's weapon in awe. "How come you by these?"

"They were in a troll cave" Gandalf replied, spotting the angered look on the dwarf prince's face. Elrond accepted that, not wanting to press anymore for information at that given moment.

Bilbo looked down at his sword with a curious expression displayed on his face. "I wouldn't bother laddie. Swords are named for the great deeds they do in war"

"What are you saying, my sword hasn't seen battle?" Bilbo asked, slightly offended at the old dwarves comment.

"Not actually sure it's a sword; more of a letter opener really" responded the dwarf and Bilbo sighed, putting his sword back down. The dwarves began to chatter louder as the wine came pouring in; the mood lifting a great deal. Thorin had turned away from the elven lord as he was in deep conversation with Gandalf in his native language. He now faced his merry men, listening to their conversations about the food, the company, their journey ahead until his eyes caught a flash of colour by the entrance of the hall. Anya walked up to the hall and felt a sudden surge of anger as she looked over the dwarves making merry and drinking well. She had called for their help... No, she did not call, she screamed for their help; but no one came. No one attempted to come back and help her. Not only that, but when her eyes locked onto Thorin's her fists shook by her sides. He told her to stay close by him, to never let go as they ran across the moor, but he was the one who let go of her and ran into the distance. He had left her. Taking a deep breath, her hunger suddenly evident, she took a step forward. Fili turned his head a moment and his eyes fell upon the woman he thought they lost, and both Thorin and Fili gasped. On hearing the sudden inhaling of the prince and his nephew, the dwarves stopped their chatter and looked toward the door; all eyes falling upon Anya with shocked expressions. Thorin regarded her cut on her face and the marks on her neck and felt a surge of guilt in the pit of his stomach. It looked sore and she looked weary.

Shuffling from one food to the other, Anya purposely looked past the dwarves and up at the table to which she presumed to be lord Elrond sitting with Gandalf. "Lindir said you sent for me" she stated and the lord stood up after noticing the sudden silence and opened his arms in a welcoming gesture.

"Indeed my dear! Come, eat with us. You are looking well" Elrond spoke, indicating to a spare chair next to Thorin. Anya smiled and walked past the table of dwarves with a slight limp on her left leg. As she reached the top, Anya pulled the chair out from under the table and sat down. Elrond regarded the woman as he too took his seat at the table. "How do you feel? I gather my healers have done a good job?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, just a bit sore. Thanks for everything" Anya replied, ignoring the fact that Thorin had turned back around to face the elven lord and did not stop staring at her. The others had taken to being quiet; casting a glance over at the woman every so often. Elrond, once again was content with the answer, noticing that the young woman was already uncomfortable, he did not want to cause her further discomfort.

...

"Anya?" Thorin said quietly, leaning over the table just an inch toward the silent woman moving the salad around her plate, clearly not hungry. Anya clenched her jaw and reached for her goblet of wine. "Anya, look at me" he persisted quietly, trying to get her attention, but not the attention of the others. "Why won't you look at me?" his voice deeper with annoyance. Anya took another sip of her wine and placed the goblet back onto the table, turning her head slowly toward the dwarven prince. Thorin's brow furrowed in confusion as

He noticed the lack of emotion on the woman's face. His azure blue eyes roaming over the marks on Anya's face.

"Take a picture, it will last longer" she commented and pushes her chair backwards to allow her space to stand. "If its ok, I'd like to get some fresh air. I'd like to walk around" spoke Anya, addressing the elven lord. Taken by surprise, noticing she has eaten hardly anything, he nodded

"Yes of course. Would you care for an escort?"

"No, thanks. I'll be fine" quickly she responded and glared at the son of Thrain. Swiftly she turned away from the gathering of elves and dwarves and dear Mr Baggins and left the hall, turning toward a passageway she had spotted on the way up that led to a spring, unbeknownst to her that young Fili had pursued her with concern.

...

"Anya, are you ok?" Fili spoke up after watching the brunette sit by the waterside for some time in silence. Anya jumped slightly and looked over her shoulder at the blonde male.

"Yeah"

"We were afraid you did not survive. We were so worried for your safety" he whispered, walking to the side of the spring, sitting down next to the woman. Anya snorted and stared into the water. "You think my words false?"

"I think all you cared about was getting safe and fed. Where were you all when I called for your help? That large dog thing took a good bite of me before those men with long hair came to rescue me." Anya said bitterly, glancing across at young Fili, his eyes were filled with sorrow.

"We wanted to help you" his voice sounded strained.

"Then what stopped you?" as Fili thought about it, nothing DID stop them from going to her rescue. They could have climbed the slope with some help. They could have grabbed her and pulled her to safety.

"I'm sorry Anya" Fili retorted looking at his hands sadly. As they continued to sit in silence, Thorin stood, hidden, watching the scene play out with a stinging in his chest. Looking away, Thorin watched as the sky began to darken, and left the scene.

….

"Oh save me from the stubbornness of dwarves" Gandalf exclaimed at Thorin and Balin whom had joined the company of lord Elrond, inquiring about the ruins on the map Thorin was in possession of. Gandalf exclaimed to the royal dwarf that master Elrond was the only one likely to read the ruins and Thorin sighed with great conflict. Taking hold of the folded map inside his coat, Thorin pulled it and stretched his hand forward toward the regal elf.

"Thorin, no!" Balin exclaimed, reaching out for the map, but Thorin shrugged him away and bitterly handed the elf his father's map. Elrond received it graciously and opened it, looking over the old language with great interest. Uttering something in the old language, Gandalf raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"moonstones?" the wizard questioned.

"so it would seem" replied Elrond. The royal elf led the dwarves and wizard through several passageways, past curious elves and magnificent architecture. Finally he came to a dark staircase that when downward to a place that was not seen by the eye. Slowly he led them down each step, carefully making sure that the dwarf prince and his companion did not fall. Eventually, coming to the bottom, Elrond walked out onto a platform where there stood a glass table of some shape, and beyond it where large waterfalls, sparkling with great intensity. For a moment the dwarves found themselves in sudden awe, it truly was a spectacular place indeed. Placing the map on the glass table, Elrond smiled and watched as the moon uncovered itself and shone its rays of light down upon the company. Thorin moved closely and looked with curiosity at the map that now displayed luminous blue runes.

"Stand by the grey stone when the thrush knocks, and the setting sun with the last light of Durin's Day will shine upon the key-hole." Elrond spoke with a loud voice.

"This is ill news. Summer is passing; Durin's Day will soon be upon us". Thorin fretted, glancing over at his old friend Balin…

"We still have time." Balin replied. We have to be standing in exactly the right spot, at exactly the right time. Then... and only then can the door be opened."

"So this is your purpose? To enter the mountain?" Elrond inquired, looking down at the dwarf prince with raised eyebrows.

"What of it?" Thorin growled.

"There are some who would not deem it wise." The elven Lord said.

"What do you mean?" Gandalf spoke up, intrigued. Elrond turned around and regarded his old wizard friend with a tired expression.

"You are not the only guardian to stand watch over Middle-earth." He commented. Gandalf sighed, knowing his meaning, and took to a deep conversation with the elven lord, walking away with him in unison. Thorin rolled his eyes as he looked to his old friend, and he took hold of his map and both followed in suit.

"We will be leaving in a few hours..." Thorin spoke in the silence of the eve, approaching the silent woman from behind, watching her stare out at the magnificent waterfalls on a secluded balcony. Anya stiffened at the sound of his voice and looked down at her hands that grasped the rail.

"I spoke with an elf an hour or so ago. Her name was Galadriel. Somehow she knew of my situation. She offered to help me return home, to my world; all I would have to do it stay here in Rivendell for some time until an arrangement can be made" Anya spoke to Thorin quietly; this being the first time she had acknowledged him since she sat at the table on her arrival to lord Elrond's table. She could hear a sigh in the background and the tap of heavy footsteps towards her.

"You mean to go home" he said as a statement rather than a question, coming to a halt beside her, regarding the, dare he say it, magnificent scenery. Anya shrugged her shoulders and turned her eyes, looking over the dwarf with confusion.

"There is nothing in my world to go back to and nothing in this one to keep me here." she stated, her heart feeling sorrowful, and tears welled up in her eyes, shining like moonlight on water. Thorin turned and gazed at the woman, feeling guilty at her words, knowing not what to say. As Anya blinked, her tears fell and she did nothing to hide them.

"Come with us..." he said without thinking and held tightly onto the balcony rail."... We could do with another pair of hands"

"I'd be no use. I'm not from a place where people use swords and bows and arrows. I cannot even kick a football straight" she whimpered, the last comment confusing the son of Thrain.

"You can be taught" he offered.

"And that would take too much time. Time you do not have" Anya explained feeling the sorrow in her heart gain weight.

"Must you think of an excuse for every reason I put forth to join us? There is nothing at home for you, you say. I'm offering you ours, when we reclaim it. You have turned out to be a friend of my nephews and many of the other dwarves since our meeting. It would be received well with them I believe, if you were to accept my offer and come with us. I do not take things like this likely Anya, I will not offer again... We will not be returning to this place." spoke Thorin, fully facing the woman now, his eyes locked on to the side of her face.

"I- I don't know" Anya said, and looked down at her feet; salty tears dripping from her cheeks to the floor.

"We will be packing in an hour or so. When the moon is at its highest point, we shall be leaving. If you are not with us by then, I will take that as your answer not to join. We will not wait. And... I am sorry, truly" he spoke, and when Anya glanced up at him she saw him indicate to her injuries on her face. Any nodded, accepting the apology and watched as Thorin turned on his heels and walked away from the balcony in defeat. As he turned the corner out of sight Anya held her chest and sunk to the floor. What was she to do? Go with him and the others to a possible fate of death or go back to Cornwall where there was nothing or no one there for her. The answer should have been plain and simple, but the confliction in her heart was too great. She longed for their company, but she longed for her warm home, her familiar items, her clothing... What do I do? She thought, closing her eyes tightly.

"Where is the girl?" Bofur inquired aloud as he packed away his belongings and rolled up his sleeping mat. Kili instantly glanced at his brother and watched as he slowly packed his belongings with a melancholy expression. He knew he had taken a liking to the woman; maybe too much of a liking. He felt for his brother, for he knew he longed for a partnership with the female kind, and so far Anya was the closest thing he had to that, even if they were not courting.

Thorin sat in the shadows having already packed his items and watched on as Bofur spoke, also regarding his eldest nephew with sadness. He kept his emotions well hidden however and frowned as he looked around at all his companions. "Keep silent, we do not want to alert the elves of our departure" he said in a grumble. Standing up, walking out of the shadows, Thorin glided over to his nephew and knelt down beside him, looking as if he was helping him pack. "What ails you that make you so silent?" he whispered, pretending not to know the reason. Fili looked up at his uncle and gave a strained smile.

"Nothing Thorin, I'm just staying quiet, just as you asked" Fili replied, stuffing his pipe into his bag.

"I have helped your mother raise both you and Kili since you were younglings Fili, I think I know what something troubles you" Thorin commented and placed a hand on Fili's shoulder in comfort.

"Uncle, with all due respect... I would rather not speak of it" spoke the golden dwarf.

"As you wish" Thorin replied and tapped his nephews shoulder in reassurance once more before standing to his feet. "Is everyone prepared?" he spoke a little louder, and an array of hums and grunts in agreement sounded. "Then let us be gone from this place" strolling back to his spot, Thorin picked up his bag and slung in onto his shoulders. Leaning down once more the prince gathered his sword and axe and turned to face the others. Looking once more at the archway that led toward the balconies and rooms, Thorin felt his heart sink. She had not arrived. She had chosen to return to her world. He could not blame her; she longed for her home just as he longed for his own. Nodding at Dwalin to walk on, Thorin waited until the last dwarf and the hobbit walked past him, and broke away from the shadows.

"You weren't lying when you said you wouldn't wait" a voice sounded and Thorin stood dead in his tracks, glancing over his shoulder, losing sight of the others.

"Anya?"

"Yes, it's me. I figured I'd have a much more entertaining life here than sitting behind a desk back home filling in a bunch of irrelevant forms on how to improve a company..." she responded with a sheepish smile. Thorin snorted with a grin on his face and noticed that the woman had a new cloak covering her shoulders and a bag of her own on her back. Anya noticed his looking and added. "They provided me with some lovely clothes. I couldn't just leave them all here"

"Indeed..." Thorin agreed and cocked his head to the side, indicating they should leave. "come, the others will be wondering where I am" Anya moved forward and came to walk beside the princely dwarf.  
"Welcome back human" he said quietly and Anya glanced at the expression on his face. She could have sworn it was as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders...

"Thanks Thorin"


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Adele owns the song lyrics

"Thorin we thought you had gotten lost already, where were y- Anya?" Balin began but cut himself off as he regarded the young woman standing beside their leader with a sheepish smile upon her face.

"Hey. So I'm going to join you guys for a while if that's ok?" she spoke, shuffling from side to side.

"Anya?" her name was repeated and Fili looked around the other dwarves with a grin dancing on his lips, lighting up his once solemn face and Thorin took note of this with a sigh of defeat.

"Hey Fili" she regarded him and chuckled.

"Let's be off" growled Thorin, feeling a tinge of jealousy build up inside of him. He did not know where these feelings were coming from these past few days, but what he did know was that it made him feel greatly Ill at ease. Anya looked at the princely dwarf with confused eyes at his sudden change in demeanour and followed slowly.

"This may not be permanent" the brunette spoke up after sometime had passed when they crossed over the bridge that led away from the magnificent realm. Thorin snapped himself out of his thoughts with a frown and looked across at the woman with questioning eyes.

"What may not be?" he spoke, his tone lower than usual so as not to attract the others to their conversation... The others being his nephew, and yes, he felt selfish and childlike for behaving in such a manner that was not suitable for a king under the mountain. Very uncharacteristic you could say perhaps.

"I will join you now; help you as much as I can for the time being, but as for staying here, however long, I am unsure" she replied, refusing to meet the heated gaze of the master dwarf.

"If you do not intend to stay, then why come along at all?" he replied.

"Oh, would you rather I turn back around now and take the woman's offer to return home?"

"I did not say that" Thorin stated, looking away from her in an annoyed fluster. "You are frustrating, human"

"And your obnoxious and a right rude git at times, but hey, who's complaining" snapped Anya and picked up her pace, walking away ungracefully.

...

"Come on Bilbo" Thorin said as he watched the young hobbit look to Rivendell in the distance with grievous sigh. Master Baggins turned slowly and looked up at the leader of the company, trudging past him with lack of energy. Shaking his head in disapproval; how could someone love the elves so? Thorin pondered, following behind. Up ahead, Thorin could see the young Anya with her nephews and the sudden urge to rush up to them and make her walk beside him was so strong, yet he fought it. He felt to think this, but if she did like him, as mug as he apparently liked her, and is she posed the same feeling for Fili also, he would not blame her for choosing him, for he was younger that he, and handsome too, he admitted. Shrugging wishful thinking away; this was not the kind of thinking required from a king on a quest to reclaim his home land. From that moment on, Thorin chose to border up his thoughts and emotions like one would a house, and would show no kind of... Fondness to Anya. If she ever showed signs of liking toward him still, then he would think about letting down those barriers once more, but as is was, Thorin did not believe in chance happenings of the romantic kind. Swallowing this choice like a spoonful of nails, the mighty dwarf walked on broodingly.

….

They had walked some distance, covering moors and vast expanses of land, both green and grey; passing over boulders and under waterfalls. The company had taken to the newest members greatly; both master Baggins and young Anya were joyous company indeed. The decision he had made not to say too much to the brunette had become obvious to the woman, and thought his behaviour to be standoff ish. Figuring it was part of his tendency to go a long time without a word, as his nephews described as brooding, Anya kept to the cheerier of the folk and found herself making a great many friendships with the white haired Balin, the young Ori, Fili and Kili and the loveable Bofur and of course master Baggins. It was early eve where they found themselves now, trudging across damp grass, shaded by a high mountain in the distance. The dwarves had walked all day, not stopping a moment, figuring that the time they lost in the elven city they could make up with speed and distance this day. It proved effective, for they had travelled a great deal in one day, but it was also a foolish idea, for all were weary and almost faint from hunger and thirst. Feeling his stomach pang with hunger, Thorin cleared his throat as he noticed the slow pace of the company. "It would do us well to go no further. Let us make camp, eat and sleep. We are in need of this" he announced and an audible sigh of relief fell over every member. The dwarves looked around to find a suitable place to camp with weary eyes.

"Over here" Gloin spoke up and indicated to a small gathering of trees surrounded by large boulders. "It's will keep us hidden well enough"

"I agree. Alright men, let's unpack" Thorin spoke and walked towards the gathering of trees which Gloin had pointed out. Each member of the company followed, a little happier that they would be resting. As they all entered the trees, each picked a spot and ungracefully plonked themselves down.

"I shall get a fire going and something cooked up" Bilbo volunteered, gathering some small branches and wood, placing it in the centre of the small grouping of trees. Thorin hummed I'm thanks and let out a quiet groan as his legs were relieved from his body weight and the weight or his baggage. Closing his eyes, Thorin breathed in and out slowly, enjoying the cool breeze of the evening air on his face.

"Will you sing for us miss, while Bilbo cooks the dinner?" Ori asked eagerly, staring at the brunette over the fire, causing a few heads to turn towards her in joyous anticipation.

"Oh! No! I cannot sing" Anya fumbled with her word and her cheeks deepened in a colour of rosy red, and she hugged herself closely, trying to escape her uneasy feeling.

"That is not true! I heard you singing to yourself some hours ago, when you thought no one was listening" Kili replied, grinning at her visible embarrassment.

"I-I don't sing in front of people" she spoke, avoiding all eyes.

"Miss, half of us here cannot sing, yet we do it anyway. We care not if one sounds terrible; singing if a form of merrymaking. We will not judge. Please, sing for us" Dori spoke up, his ageing features shunning with happiness, and the remained of the company hummed in agreement; all the while Fili and Thorin watched her with great interest. Sighing in defeat, Anya stood to her feet and backed up into a shadowed area to hide her face.

"Fine, but if you laugh, any of you, I will cut off your beards" inhaling deeply, the woman closed her eyes, thinking of a song that she really liked or at least meant something to her in her world. Finding a song she knew word by word, she begrudgingly opened her mouth and let in dance upon her Tongue.

"I heard that you're settled down

That you found a girl and you're married now

I heard that your dreams came true

Guess she gave you things I didn't give to you

Old friend, why are you so shy?

Ain't like you to hold back or hide from the light

I hate to turn up out of the blue, uninvited

But I couldn't stay away, I couldn't fight it

I had hoped you'd see my face and that you'd be reminded

That for me, it isn't over

Never mind, I'll find someone like you

I wish nothing but the best for you, too

Don't forget me, I begged, I remember you said

Sometimes it lasts in love, but sometimes it hurts instead

Sometimes it lasts in love, but sometimes it hurts instead

You know how the time flies

Only yesterday was the time of our lives

We were born and raised in a summer haze

Bound by the surprise of our glory days

I hate to turn up out of the blue, uninvited

But I couldn't stay away, I couldn't fight it

I had hoped you'd see my face and that you'd be reminded

That for me, it isn't over yet

Never mind, I'll find someone like you

I wish nothing but the best for you, too

Don't forget me, I begged, I remember you said

Sometimes it lasts in love, but sometimes it hurts instead, yeah

Nothing compares no worries or cares

Regrets and mistakes, they're memories made

Who would have known how bittersweet this would taste?

Never mind, I'll find someone like you

I wish nothing but the best for you

Don't forget me, I begged, I remember you said

Sometimes it lasts in love, but sometimes it hurts instead"

"Your voice is beautiful, but... It makes me sad" Bilbo spoke not a moment later after she had finished as he stirred the pot of stew. Anya did not realise that tears had fallen from her eyes when she sang and as she looked around at the dwarves who were all gazing at her, she saw that they too had tears in their eyes, except for Thorin. He just stared at her with an unreadable expression on his face.

"You had a love once lass? The song-" Balin began.

"The song isn't mine, but yes, I was engaged a year ago" she said and several of the men gasped.

"Did he die in battle?" said one.

"Was it valiant?"

"Was he Ill?" came yet another voice. Anya glanced at the dwarf master and retorted with a pain filled heart.

"He left me after he got my best friend pregnant. I found out that they had been seeing each other before he even proposed to me and that it was out of pity, not love, that he was going to marry me. He said he changed his mind when my friend Sarah got pregnant, because it hit home that if that was me, the child would probably be a homunculus too, and living with one small person was enough."

"Oh lass, we would never treat our women as such" Gloin spoke in disgust.

"Yes, well, I come from a world where things like that happen an awful lot" Anya replied, shrugging her shoulders.

"And that is the type of world you wish to return to?" Thorin scoffed. It had been the first time he had spoken to her since they left the elven city.

"Well I suppose the choice is 'getting killed here' or have a messed up relationship in my world. When you think of it, there is not much of a choice is there?" she snapped at him, feeling annoyed at the tone in who h he spoke to her and the fact that he had spoken to her after so long a silence between them. Feeling frustrated, Anya stomped away out of the trees into the sudden downpour of rain away from the camp. Holding herself closely, Anya closed her eyes and let the tears roll down her cheeks without shame.

"I do not appreciate the way you speak to me in front of my men" a hard voice sounded by hear ear.

"Well it works both ways big boy" she snapped, turning around to face him, glaring with great intensity. "What is your problem? Are you bi polar or something? You talk to me one moment then go off brooding like a woman on her monthly. Is it because I am a woman and you don't like the fact I've come along on your almighty quest?"

"You are soaked, come back, and get out of the rain" he commented, ignoring her words with a monotone voice.

"No! For once in your pompous life, answer my question! I deserve to be spoken to with respect. I've had enough of male prats in my life to be getting on with" she shouted at Thorin Oakenshield, her fists balling into fists at her sides. The master dwarf registered what she had said to him in a split second, and before his mind caught up with his body, his large battle worn hand came in contact with her soaked face; the sound of the impact echoing back toward the camp. Anya gasped and fell backward onto the ground with a great splash in the puddle of mud that pooled behind her; staining her White shirt brown.

"I-I am sorry!" Thorin stuttered, looking at his hand in bewilderment. "I have never raised my hand to another, let alone a woman"

"Well I must be special then" Anya cried, cupping her face as it stung greatly with pain. Thorin pulled his eyes away from him hand and looked down at the woman with regretful eyes.

"Anya, truly, I did not mean-" the son of Thrain began, dropping to his knees in the mud, reaching out a hand. Anya tongued and the dwarven master felt instantly sick. "Please; I will not hurt you" Anya glanced at Thorin slowly; her hand still cupping her face. Not knowing what to do in this situation, Thorin pulled Anya forward and rested her against his chest, resting his chin on her head. The future king under the mountain felt the woman tremble beneath him and he closed his eyes; the rain fading away in his mind, for all he could see, feel and hear was the trembling, the shocked face of the woman he now held and the weeping that came from her mouth. "I am so, so sorry" he whispered.

...

Fili and his brother watched the scene play out before them along with master Baggins and dear Balin. It was not a sight they expected to see when their king had pursued the young woman. As he hit her, the blonde dwarf did not realize that he had growled aloud and grabbed a twig hard enough that it snapped in two in an instant. Feeling heat rise in his cheeks with anger, he immediately turned away, knowing that he would regret doing something if he were to carry on watching.

"Ere, what's going on? Foods ready" Nori inquired after taking over from Bilbo, stirring the food.

"Uh, it's none of our business" Bilbo retorted, pulling his gaze away from the two figures in the rain and turned around toward the fire. "Leave them be. We should eat and get some rest"

"Should we take some food out to Thorin and the lass?" Bofur asked, preparing the bowls ready to serve the stew.

"No..." Balin began "... They will come too eventually"

"Aii, leave them be" Dwalin agreed, his stomach grumbling at the smell of the cooked food.

...

"Your skin is like ice" Thorin finally spoke after some time, clutching Anya closer. "Will you come back with me to shelter?" Anya nodded without speaking. The slap, the cold weather and rain, the crying; it had all taken its toll on her and she was extremely exhausted. "Do you forgive me?" again Anya nodded, and Thorin smiled in relief. Placing a hand on Anya's head, and snaking the other underneath her legs, Thorin slowly stood to his feet, pulling her with him. Holding her in his arms, Thorin strolled back to the camp, avoiding the curious and some angered stares. Making his way to where Anya's items were, Thorin glanced at the woman and noticed her lips were blue. Bending over, Thorin placed Anya on the floor and moved straight to his pack, pulling out his blanket. "This will keep you warm. I would change your clothes, but it would deem inappropriate given the circumstances" he spoke, wrapping the blanket tightly around the woman, watching her shiver greatly. "I will bring you some food". Rising to his feet, the leader of the company marched to the centre of the gathering around the fire and reached for a bowl of stew.

"Is all well Uncle?" Kili inquired, glancing up at his relative, watching as he gathered some food.

"All is well now. Finish your food and get some rest Kili" he spoke in return, flashing him a small reply, before walking away, back toward the woman. "Can you sit up Anya?" Anya nodded and shuffled to a sitting position, clutching Thorin's blanket closely to her chest. "I will feed you. you must keep warm lest you give yourself a cold" nodding, Anya watched the master pick up the spoon and scoop some stew onto it, then slowly brought it toward her mouth with intense concentration on his face. Opening her mouth, the brunette accepted the warm liquid and swallowed with an appreciated hum. Returning the spoon to the bowl, Thorin repeated this action for the next five minutes, making sure that the woman was fed properly, feeling responsible for her current state because of his actions towards her.

"That's enough thanks. Im ok" Anya commented, turning her head away from the spoon just an inch.

"Are you sure?" inquired the son of Thrain.

"Yes… thank you…" She whispered, her eyes drooping slowly.

"Sleep now, we have a long journey up ahead tomorrow across the pathway of the misty mountains. You will need all your energy"

"Thorin?"

"Yes?" Thorin inquired, raising his eyebrows and he looked at the woman. Anya reached an arm forward and placed it on his cheek, her thumb gently stroking his skin.

"I forgive you. Just, don't ever cut me off from anything- don't ever stop talking to me" She said quietly so that only the two of them were privy to the conversation.

"I will not refrain from speaking with you Anya…" Thorin promised and felt a relief lift from his shoulders as the words 'I forgive you' left her mouth, and as she smiled and stroked his cheek. Bringing back her hand, Anya snuggled under the blanket and closed her eyes. Sighing with a smile, Thorin turned and leant back against a tree that was next to the young woman. Glancing up he caught his eldest nephew gazing at him. Fili shuffled uncomfortably under his uncle's gaze and looked over at the sleeping woman with a smile. "Goodnight nephew" Thorin spoke, aware of Fili's avoidance of him.

"Goodnight uncle" Came his soft reply. Thorin stared into the remaining flames of the fire, and slowly allowed sleep to take him, just as it had the others.


	6. Chapter 6

The cold rain began to lessen through the night, but the chill in the air surrounded the sleeping bodies like a bad smell. Anya, although enveloped in her own sleeping bag and Thorin's, she still trembled from lack of heat, and her lips coloured a deep blue. The leader of the company woke every so often, checking the sleeping woman with a guilty conscience. He too shivered from cold, but was willing to accept it as punishment for his treatment toward this young woman. Before he would drift back into a light sleep, his mind would also travel in thought of his eldest nephew- the way he looked at him with such distain as he carried Anya to her bed silently broke his heart. His nephews only every looked up to him with adoration, and now… there was a hint of uncertainty, weariness. As he would drift back into sleep, he would dream short dreams of Erebor and of the foul beast Smaug.

The king under the mountain was not the only one to be restless that night. Master Bilbo Baggins sighed in annoyance as the dwarves snored loudly beside him, disturbing his own sleep. How was it possible to make so much noise whilst sleeping? He pondered, shuffling uncomfortably in his sleeping roll. Inhaling loudly in annoyance, Bilbo wriggled out of his sleeping roll and stood to his feet, stretching his arms above his head. "Bilbo? Is that you?" A voice, just above a whisper came. The hobbit looked around with surprise at the sudden voice and his eyes came to rest upon the now awake woman.

"Anya! You should be sleeping" He said with a low tone, creeping towards the woman quietly enough as not to wake the master of the company. Gently he placed his warm hand upon her amp brow and let his eyes roam over the red mark on her cheek. "Does it hurt?" He whispered.

"Not anymore" She responded, her voice coarse. Smiling weakly, Anya placed her hand over her cheek and sighed. "He didn't mean it" She said instantly, feeling the need to defend Thorin.

"What?" Bilbo questioned, caught off-guard by her sudden words.

"Thorin… he didn't mean to hit me. We were both worked up. It was my fault as much as his" She said, her eyes bearing into the hobbit's, wanting him to see the truth in her words.

"I believe you. He doesn't seem the type to hurt people. I just hope you are ok"

"I am Bilbo, truly" Anya replied, nodding her head. Smiling in relief, Bilbo stroked Anya's cheek in comfort, and then got back up onto his feet.

"Sleep Anya, the sun will be rising soon, which means we will be leaving before it has set fully. You will need all your strength for the journey I expect. These dwarves like to walk an awful lot" After finishing speaking, the hobbit walked back to his sleeping roll and slid back in, trying to block out the snores of the sleeping dwarves. Anya yawned, and rolled over, facing the opposite way, and her eyes came to rest upon those of the man in which she spoke about to the friendly hobbit. Thorin looked on at her, unmoving, silent. Shuffling toward him slightly, Anya searched his eyes for some sign of emotion, but once again she came face to face with the unknown.

"Thank you" His deep voice drenched her ear drums, almost caressing them.

"For what?" She whispered, her brow furrowing in confusion.

"For saying what you did to Bilbo. I do not want my men becoming afraid of me… my eldest nephew is already loathing me for what I did to you. He has not mentioned it, but I can sense it. He has feelings for you, you know?" Thorin replied, his eyes never leaving hers, never showing any sign of emotion.

"Yeah… I know" She said quietly, pulling her blanket upward until it was underneath her chin. It was at that moment when Thorin's eyes widened in surprize, and he shuffled toward her this time until their noses almost touched, and quickly glanced over at his sleeping nephew.

"You knew of Fili's feelings toward you?" He inquired, glancing back at the young woman.

"Yes"

"Why- I don't- why have you not said anything?" He questioned.

"I like him a great deal… as a friend. I do not want to lead him on. I've been in plenty of those experiences back home, so I know it wouldn't be fair on him. Better he think I don't know, and am indifferent than me to let him down. If it comes to the point where he voices like feelings for me, then I will tell him. But until then, im not going to say anything"

"He will not take it well when he finds out"

"Life is full of disappointments" Said Anya. Thorin nodded in agreement, and placed one of his large, battle-worn hands on the woman's cheek, and he felt his own burn with a strange sensation. Anya closed her eyes at the contact and smiled into his hand. Thorin noticed this reaction and frowned in confusion. "…You are warm" She breathed, her eyes still closed. Master Oakenshield slowly moved his thumb across her cheek just as Bilbo had done, but allowed his to linger longer than would deem just 'comforting'. Opening her eyes, Anya watched the male, her breath shortening. "I- um..."

"Forgive me!" Thorin exclaimed, pulling his hand away, shuffling backwards, flustered.

"No… it's fine" She whispered, and looked down at the amp grass silently. Thorin cleared his throat and wrapped his arms around his chest tightly. "So, I uh-"

"Get some sleep, we shall be waking soon" He interrupted, and rolled over to face away from the warm woman. Anya stared at the back of his head for some time, watching as his side rose and fell with every breath he took. He seemed peaceful in this state, and she hoped for a moment, that when they reclaimed their homeland, he would have this peace permantly. Closing her eyes, Anya allowed sleep to take over her mind and body.

….

"How do you fare this morn, Anya?" A familiar voice sounded behind her, a shadow too, creeping forward. The brunette woman was packing away her items into her elvish backpack provided by those who dwelled in the beautiful city of Imladris. Anya knew who exactly the voice belonged to; she thought on the words of master Oakenshield of young Fili's feelings for her. Closing her eyes, letting her shoulders drop she answered

"Good thanks"

"Are you sure? How is your cheek?" He persisted, stepping to the side, hoping to catch the woman's eye and cheek.

"Look Fili…" Anya turned to face the blonde dwarf "…He didn't mean it. We were both to blame for what happened, especially me for taunting him. Let it go"

"I-But" Fili frowned, stepping forward, reaching for the woman's arm.

"No Fili!" She commented, stepping away from his hand, with her hands raised for him to back away. "…Stop it. I'm fine, im not harmed. All is well. Forget it"

"What if I cannot?"

"He is your uncle and carer. He loves you very much, and it would break him if you let this silly situation get in the way of that, so, try" Anya retorted, gazing at him with slight annoyance. "I have forgiven him Fili, so should you" and with that the brunette grabbed her bag and took it with her toward the recently lit fire and tired company. Fili sighed loudly and turned around, completely surprised to see him uncle standing there, staring at him with sad eyes.

"How long have you been stood there?"

"Long enough to know my sister's-son harbours distain towards me… I do not want to continue this journey, Fili, if I have lost your respect and trust" Thorin responded, his eyes shining uncharacteristically, shuffling forward toward his golden haired nephew, quickly glancing over his shoulder at the oblivious company feasting on the freshly cooked breakfast, then straight back to him.

"You have lost neither from me, Uncle. I hold great respect for you, and always will. Forgive the words I spoke. It's just, I hold feelings for her, and it burned something furious within me when I saw what I did." Fili answered, lowering his eyes to the grassy floor.

"I regret what I did, truly Fili. It will not happen again, rest assured. If- If you feel for her, perhaps… perhaps you should make it known" As Thorin spoke those words, he felt something churn within him. It pained him to voice those words, for reasons beyond him. His nephew had feelings for him, and so, he SHOULD naturally be happy for him, but he could not help feeling upset, angry even. Placing his hands on Fili's cheeks, bringing his head forward, Thorin placed a kiss on his nephews head and Fili smiled. It was rare that his uncle showed affection to anyone, so at that moment, he felt utterly privileged to receive such a blessing from none other than Thorin Oakenshield. "Go and eat something" He said, pulling away and looking with weary eyes at his nephew. Fili nodded, and turned away toward his brother and the rest of the company around the fire. Thorin took the moment alone as an opportunity to let out a melancholy sigh, and place a hand over his chest with his eyes closed.

"You alright laddie?" A kind voice sounded and the dwarven prince snapped his eyes open, gazing back at the snow white haired dwarf.

"Balin, I did not see you there" He stated, and removed his hand from his chest.

"Are you alright? You seem fairly distant laddie." Balin repeated, his brow furrowing as he looked over his leaders posture and gaze.

"Aye, all is well… are we all packed and ready for leaving?" Thorin inquired, changing the subject.

"Oh yes… But none are as… eager to leave this morn" Balin hesitated and crossed his arms.

"And why, pray tell is that?" Asked Thorin, thinking it was in relation to what he had done to Anya the night before.

"Thorin, the rain has not given up. It still pours from the heavens as if there is no tomorrow" Balin explained and Thorin felt a sudden relief wash over him.

"If we took a day off from our quest every day it rained, master Balin, we would still be in the shire. I understand and respect the fact that travelling in the rain, with soaked clothing is not desirable by any means, but we must not hesitate. Durin's day is nearing, we cannot delay" Explained the royal dwarf and the white haired friend nodded in agreement, slapping him on the arm with a friendly smile.

"Aye laddie, that is true. I will inform the others. Have you eaten?"

"No, I have lost my appetite as of late. I will be fine. See to it that the others are well fed. I will join you momentarily, and then, we move" Said Thorin regaining his authoritative voice and stance.

…

The day flew past as swift as a coursing river; the dwarves clothing and emotions sodden. They had hiked over rock on boulder, getting higher and higher up the rock face. All had kept silent, be it from tiredness, coldness or just plain concentration so that they did not fall from the rock side. Anya had spent the day away from both Fili and Thorin, walking beside Bofur and young master Baggins. She had gained a great friendship with both of them during her time in middle earth. Fili had stayed by his brother's side, his eyes never leaving the back of the brunette woman; his mind racing with all the possibilities of how to express himself to the lovely woman. Thorin however, walked alone, keeping his thoughts to himself; thinking about Anya, about the quest, his nephews' safety and that of his friends. It was not until all came to a halt when the rain poured down heavier and thunder boomed overhead, that Thorin heard Bofur exclaim aloud.

"I don't believe it! Stone giants! Real stone giants!" Thorin gasped and looked up at the opposite mountain with horror as it moved in a humanly form, a head protruding out of the rock face.

"Oh no!" He whispered under his breath and frantically looked over at the others, trying to pinpoint his nephews and the young woman, when the rock beneath his feet began to shake.


	7. Chapter 7

Eyeing the woman and his nephews, Thorin attempted to walk forward but the shake of the mountain prevented such an action. "Hold on to the side of the mountain and move forward!" he yelled over the thunder and rain. The company slowly crept across, clinging to the rock side for dear life, when suddenly a bolt of lightning struck the wall, and the stone giant jerked forward. The dwarves yelped in surprise as they were flung forward. Dwalin and bofur grabbed the hobbit as he inched forward toward the edge of the rock, losing his balance. Slowly, the path on which the company stood began to separate, halving the group in two.

"Kili, take my hand!" Fili shouted, reaching across to his younger brother. Kili reached with all his might to take his brothers hand, but he failed to take hold and almost fell off the mountain were it not for a dwarf grabbing him to safety. Kili looked at his brother with great fear; his eyes watering. Thorin heard his nephews shout and glanced toward them in fear. He watched in great horror and the mountain moved forward and he quickly registered that they stood upon a knee belonging to a stone giant.

"Hold on!" Thorin shouted at Fili, but he was not heard over the loud claps of thunder and harsh pattering of rain against rock. A soaked Anya slowly stepped up to the leader's side and out of worry, she grabbed his hand, holding it tightly in her own. The regal male quickly glanced down at the contact and, then moved his eyes back up to look into the woman's face, but found her looking forward in shock, gasping. Snapping his attention away from her, he followed her line of sight and looked with gut wrenching fear as the giant's knee headed for an opposite wall, threatening to crush the company and his nephew in a sudden movement. "No! Fili!" He screamed as what he feared came true; the company slammed with great forced into the sharp wall. Thorin felt a wave of sickness drench him and he dropped Anya's hand, rushing past the others to spot his nephew, as the knee had pulled away empty, leaving the rock beside them, the only place in which their bodies would lay… unless the fell down the dark cavern. A loud exhale of relief sounded from his lips as his eyes came to rest on his nephew and the remainder of company, all unharmed. Anya appeared in an instant on hearing his exhale and eyed the blonde dwarf with a smile on her face.

"Oh thank God!" she exclaimed and placed a hand on Thorin's arm in comfort.

"Where's the hobbit?" a dwarf announced suddenly and a frightened gasp was heard. Bofur looked over the edge of the mountain and spotted young master Baggins holding on for dear life with fearful eyes. Dropping to his knees, bofur tried to pull him up, but due to the wetness of the rock, he could not help but slide. Walking away from his nephew and Anya, Thorin jumped down the mountain side onto a protruding rock and grabbed the hobbit's clothing, thrusting him upward toward safety. In doing so, however, the dwarven princes' foot slipped on the wet rock, and his body fell downward. Frantically he grabbed onto the edge and grunted in pain as his arms strained to hold his weight. Dwalin grabbed the prince's arms and gritted his teeth as he pulled him onto the level ground, tapping his back in reassurance. Groaning from the impact of his knees against rock, Thorin swayed as he stood to his feet.

"Thought we lost you then laddie" one of the company said cheerfully to the small hobbit.

"He's been lost from the moment he left home" Thorin replied bitterly, looking at Bilbo sideways with annoyance. He then ordered Dwalin to inspect the cave for caves in these parts were seldom unoccupied.

"That was uncalled for" Anya said to Thorin as she passed him to take shelter once Dwalin had announced all was clear. The son of Thrain watched the woman disappear with a sigh.

"Let's get a fire going" Gloin said, rubbing his hands together to warm himself up from the nights cold and wet.

"No, not tonight. We wish to remain unnoticed this evening. Get some sleep, all of you. We will need our strength for the coming morning" Thorin corrected and the others sighed, holding their garments closer to their bodies. "Bofur, take first watch" He said and Bofur exhaled grumpily and marched toward the front of the cave, taking a seat, watching as all settled down quickly, trying to keep themselves warm.

…..

"I thought you were going to fall" Anya whispered to Thorin in the darkness, shuffling forward, closer to his body. Thorin snapped open his eyes and gazed at the woman whom was now just a touch of the nose apart. Slowly the brunette took hold of his hand once more and stroked her thumb against his battle worn skin.

"Anya…" He breathed "…What are you doing?" he looked down at their hands and swallowed, feeling heat suddenly rush through him. "I- Anya…" Thorin began but was cut off by Bofur's distinctive voice.

"Where are you going?" Bofur spoke.

"Home" Bilbo replied sadly.

"You can't leave now! Your part of the company" Bofur whined, standing up in front of the small hobbit.

"But im not though, am I? Thorin said I don't belong here, and he's right" Bilbo answered solemnly. Thorin glanced with said eyes at the woman in front of him and noticed the tears slowly trickling down her cheeks.

"Your just homesick, I understand" Bofur tried to reason.

"No! No you don't understand, none of you do! You are used to this. Living in these sorts of places, always wandering, never belonging anywhere… Oh, no, Im sorry, I did not mean that" Bilbo tripped over his words and swallowed hard.

"No, you right…" Bofur began sadly, looking over at the sleeping dwarves "…We don't belong anywhere. I wish you all the luck in the world, I really do…. What is that?!" Thorin looked away from the crying woman toward the two speaking and his eyes widened with horror as they came to rest on the glowing blade attached to the hobbits waist.

"Wake up!" Thorin called aloud to the company, and gripped Anya's arm, pulling her to stand up with him. "Do not leave my side" He addressed her. Anya wiped her tears away and watched the others frantically scramble to their feet, grabbing their weapons. Slowly the sand and dust on the floor began to disappear in what appeared to be a growing ditch in the centre of the rock. Thorin shuffled backwards against the wall, holding Anya tightly. Not a moment later the floor opened up and the dwarves yelled as they all plummeted down through the opening.

"Thorin!" Anya screamed as her hand slipped and let go of him.

"Anya!" He gasped in return as she disappeared out of sight, that was until – thud. All of the company harshly landed on a make shift cage, one on top of the other. The brunette woman looked over the bundle of dwarves and the hobbit and spotted the one male whose side she did not want to leave. She reached across the bodies towards Thorin, but as she did, squeals began to come down upon their ears drums harshly as many goblins ran toward them with menacing eyes.

"What are they!" Anya screamed in fright as one grabbed her viciously and pulled her away from the men. "Get off me you freak!" the goblin dragged the wriggling woman across a wooden bridge, heading toward a larger area of wood where the brunette spotted a very large creature sitting on a throne. Feeling immensely scared, Anya looked over her shoulder to check the others and found that they too where begin carried and forced along none to friendly.

"My lords, dwarves! 13 dwarves and something female!" the creature grabbing Anya announced and the large creature on the throne descended by stepping on some goblins, looking hungrily at the intruders.

"My, my, the king under the mountain!" He exclaimed mockingly, spotting Thorin "But, where is your mountain? You do not have one!" He laughed evilly. "I know someone who would pay a pretty price for your head. No body attached, just a head. A white rider and his white beast"

"Azog the defiler was killed in battle long ago!" Thorin snarled in reply, stepping forward, guarding the youngest of the company. The goblin king laughed at the dwarf's words and commented how Azog still lived, then told one of his minions to inform the white rider of his captive.

"This one is female, Sire, though not of the dwarven race" The slimy goblin repeated once more, shoving Anya away from the others, in front of the goblin king. His large, discoloured eyes roamed over the brunette wildly and placed his hand on his chin as if in thought.

"My my, what a pretty creature it is too. How did a creature such as yourself come into the company of these foul dwarves?" he inquired, but Anya did not reply, and turned her head to the side in disgust. The goblin king took offence to this and extended his greasy hand, grabbing the woman around her waist tightly. Anya yelped loudly and gasped as her hair supply grew shorter as the gobbling tightened his hand more and more.

"Stop! Let her go" Exclaimed Thorin, taking a step forward.

"Ah, you harbour feelings for this woman! I see it in your filthy eyes, Thorin son of Thrain!" The goblin king answered, staring at the royal dwarf with a smirk. Fili snapped his attention to his uncle in a split second and frowned at him. He fell for her? Was his hearing correct? He pondered. Not only Fili, but the other members of the company took in a deep breath at the mention of this. Thorin was aware, but at the current moment, he cared not. He just wanted to see Anya safe.

"I said, let her go" Thorin snarled, picking up his sword.

"Orcrist, the goblin cleaver!" The goblin king exclaimed in disgust and threw Anya towards the others; her body colliding with theirs like a bowling ball and pins. Anya groaned at the impact and looked down as she currently led across poor Thorin and Ori. The others led among the vile goblins, eyeing them with great hatred.

"Sorry!" she muttered, slowly pulling herself off the bodies. As she came to her feet, a sharp pain hit her side. Grabbing herself, the brunette looked down and spotted a red patch on her tunic, and also a red patch on orcrist; she had landed on it. Thorin ungracefully scrambled to his feet, pulling young Ori with him, whilst checking his nephews over. As they all came to standing once more, it was then that the spotted Anya's injury. She swayed just slightly and stared at them all with great fear and pain. Fili gasped and attempted to push past everyone to aid her, but the goblins would have none of it. Judging by the dwarf's faces, the goblin king chuckled and nodded to his minions to bring the girl back to him. Roughly, two sickly creatures took hold of her arms, yanking her backwards eliciting a cry from her mouth. Thorin gritted his teeth and balled his free hand beside his thigh.

"well, this one is a screamer..." the goblin king chuckled. "... I love it. Bring the bone crushers! This little lady will go first. Then of course, the youngest"

"No!" Anya yelled and instantly regretted it, taking hold of her stomach, bending over in pain.

The goblin king ignored her and began to sing in a dull voice

"bones will be shattered, necks will be wrung  
You'll be beaten and battered,  
From racks you'll be hung  
You will die down here and never be found  
Down in the deep of goblin-town" as the goblin king sang his heart out dreadfully, a group of sickly looking goblins dragged torture machinery toward the gathering of dwarves. Anya struggled against the arms that held her and she went suddenly lightheaded. Feeling tired all of a sudden, Anya felt her eyes close and her knees give way. She hung limply in the arms of the goblins and the dwarves looked on, frozen.

"Oh well, at least that will save us from her screams as we break her" said the goblin king, noticing the woman going limp. Thorin snarled and stepped forward in warning and the goblin kings eyes gleamed. As he nodded to his men to take hold of the king under the mountain, the goblins squealed with excitement. Pushing Thorin forward, they each took hold of an arm and threw him to the floor. The son of Thrain groaned on impact but his eyes widened suddenly as a goblin blade came to rest upon his neck. "Maybe I'll just hand Azog the defiler your head. He would be thrilled to receive such a gift" the slimy king exclaimed gaining a cheer from his minions. Thorin hissed and tried to grab orcrist that led by the side of him, but he was unsuccessful. Slowly the goblin lifted his blade with a gleam in its eyes, but before he brought it down against the dwarf's neck, a blast of light shot through the goblin town knocking everyone to the floor.

"To arms!" a familiar voice sounded, and as the light faded away, both dwarf and goblin alike looked upon Gandalf the grey. "To arms!" he repeated more fiercely and the dwarves yelled in fury, pushing the enemy from them, gripping their dwarfish weapons, swinging them furiously. Fili dodged the commotion and grabbed Anya in his arms, before backing away as the giant goblin king stepped forward, challenging the wizard. "Run!" he exclaimed, and the dwarves took off, knocking goblins here and there; all the while Fili held Anya in his arms as tightly as he could without hurting her or letting go.

Victorious in their battle with the goblins, and after Gandalf had slain the goblin king, the company ventures out into the open, slightly blinded by the sunlight. Quickly they descended the mountain away from the opening of the mountain, toward a large gathering of trees. As they came to a halt, they all gasped for air, looking around at each other. Fili gently placed Anya on a smooth boulder and looked over her body with great concern. "Is she alive?" Kili inquired, looking solemnly at the body of the woman. Fili quickly checked her pulse and swallowed.

"She lives, but her pulse is weak" he replied. Gandalf walked over to the small brunette, his eyes full of concern.

"How did she get this injury?" he inquired.

"She fell upon my sword" Thorin spoke up with guilt in his voice. Gandalf hummed and was about to check over her wound when he thought of master Baggins. He knew plants incredibly well and would know of a plant to soothe her pain. Straightening his back, the elderly wizard glanced around hopeful until a frown crept up onto his wrinkled face.

"Where is the hobbit? Where is Bilbo?"

"Cast that Halfling! Now he's got himself lost!" Dwalin snarled.

"Last I looked I looked I thought he was with Dori!" one dwarf exclaimed.

"Don't blame me!" Dori scoffed in return. The dwarves frantically glanced around; up trees and the hill, trying to spot the small man, but to no avail.

"Well where did you last see him?" questioned Gandalf.

"I thought I saw him slip away when they first corned us" Nori offered.

"I'll tell you what happened; master Baggins saw his opportunity and he took it. He's thought of but his soft bed and warm Heath since whence he stepped out his door. We will not see our hobbit again! He is long gone" Thorin snarled, looking around at his men with hard features.

"No, no he isn't" a voice suddenly came and all glances up to see master Baggins; Thorin sighing with slight regret. Bofur bounced on the spot a little, obviously happy to see the Halfling.

"Bilbo Baggins, I have never been so happy to see anyone in my life!" Gandalf exclaimed cheerfully. Bilbo smiled and walked past master Balin, tapping his shoulder happily.

"We'd give you up!" Kili breathed

" How did you get past the goblins?" Fili inquired.

"How indeed" stated Dwalin. The hobbit chuckled and slyly slipped in the ring he has acquired in Gollum's cave into his pocket. Gandalf spotted it with his keen eyes, and spoke up

"Well what does it matter; he's back" Thorin looked surprises at the old man and turned his attention to the curly haired hobbit with curious annoyance.

"It matters..." he began "... Why did you come back?" Bilbo frowned at the dwarf prince for a moment and paused.

"Look, I know you doubt me. I know you always have. I often think of Bag End. I miss my books, and armchair, and garden. That's where I belong. That's home. You don't have one. It was taken from you, but I will help you get that back in any way that I can." master Baggins replied. The son of Thrain nodded his head in thankful acceptance, feeling suddenly ashamed of what he had said previously about the young hobbit. He truly had bravery and honour to do such a thing for his kingdom on people. Bombur looked on with tear filled eyes at the touching words of the hobbit as did the elderly Balin and Gandalf. He truly was a great added extra of the company. Bilbo swallowed and grabbed his braces with a smile before a body caught his attention and his happiness faded in mili seconds. "Anya?" he whispered and skipped to her side. "Is she alright?"

"She needs medical attention... We must find somewhere to settle and tend to her" said the wizard. As he spoke, a soul crushing howl echoed through the trees.

"Out of the frying pan-" Thorin growled

"And into the fire-" Gandalf finished. The regal dwarf walked past the hobbit and gathered Anya in his arms, before turning to the others, and nodded to the trees.

"Go!" he exclaimed and followed the others as they ran toward the tall trees, ready to climb them.

…..

"What's going on?" Anya whispered, feeling a strong arm around her chest.

"You're alright Lass, just keep still" Nori spoke. When Thorin had difficulty climbing the tree with his sword and Anya, Nori, the closest to him had reached down and took hold of the unconscious woman.

"Is- is that fire?" She said croakily, glimmers of gold's and oranges seep through her slightly parted eyes.

"Yes" He simply replied, and held on tighter. Anya rolled her head backwards and glanced up and spotted the dwarf king and hobbit. Then she also noticed in a split second the fact that all the company were clinging on to one tree. Gasping in shock, Anya, instinctively grabbed hold of the pointed haired dwarf. Thorin glanced down at the movement, and spotted the awake woman. He was about to call to her when a flash of white splayed across his sight.

"Azog" He breathed in disgust at the pale foul beast. The white Orc grinned at him with vicious intent and the beast on which he was astride roared at him. The dwarf king, at that moment, forgot about everything and everyone and saw red. Taking hold of his weapon, he stepped out onto the fallen tree stump and stalked toward the beast. Raising his sword, Thorin let out a growl and took off into a run. Balin looked on solemnly, and uttered 'No' under his breath as he watched his king run to his definite doom. Bilbo's mouth dropped open in shock as he witnessed the white warg launch itself at the leader of the company, knocking him to the floor.

"What is it? What's going on?" Anya slurred as she noticed Nori's expression change to that of worry.

"Get some rest miss" He practically whispered in that moment, the brunette woman heard Thorin moan and shout out in pain. The white warg clamped its mouth over his torso and threw him to the side, hitting a boulder.

"Thorin!" Dwalin called out. Bilbo stood in that moment, with sting in his hands and ran towards the injured king, jumping over his mangled body and onto the vile orc, thrusting his blade into its chest. Anya watched as the other dwarves began to climb down the tree with furious faces and arms at the ready and she felt dread grown strongly in her stomach. Was Thorin injured? Was He dead?... why was this feeling of dread so strong within her? And then, it hit her. What the Goblin King said. He harboured feelings for her, and she, in return. She had also remembered quickly glancing to Fili and the others in that moment and spotting the look of shock in their faces. The thought of not seeing Thorin again, in that moment as Nori clung onto her, was gut wrenching.

"Is he… Is Thorin…" She stuttered.

"Shhh miss, rest" He replied, and gasped not a moment later when black and brown shaped approached them in the sky. "I don't believe it…." He rasped out "… eagles!"


	8. Chapter 8

The eagles swooped down in an almighty gathering, grabbing Wargs here and Orcs there, tossing them over the cliffs edge like mere rag dolls. One by one the dwarves were picked up by the giant feet of the magnificent birds, and flew through the morning sky at great speed. Thorin was swooped up; his unconscious self, oblivious to the happenings around him. The last to be swept up in safety was that of Gandalf and Anya and Nori, Anya whom of which had fallen back into a sleeping state; her wound clearly affecting her in many ways. Swiftly they flew over peaks and gorges, the views spectacular. Thorin was the first to reach solid ground. His motionless body was placed gently onto a large rock protruding from the green ground below. Gandalf was next and Bilbo a moment after. The grey wizard ran quickly to the unmoving dwarf and called out his name in concern, but no reply came. One again he called his name as he came to kneel beside him. Slowly, he closed his eyes and hovered his hand over his face, muttering a healing spell under his breath. Painstakingly slowly, the son of Thrain opened his eyes, and allowed them to focus a moment before they came to rest on the old man. "The Hobbit?" He rasped out.

"He is fine, Bilbo is fine" Gandalf reassured with a smile. Thorin felt hands suddenly on his arms, and allowed his youngest nephew to pull him to his feet. The regal dwarf snatched his arm away from his kin after he groaned with pain, and glared at the hobbit that stood before him.

"You, what were you doing? You nearly got yourself killed!" He snarled and Bilbo looked taken aback, feeling suddenly isolated; that it was them, the dwarves up against one hobbit. "Did I not say that you would be a burden? That you would not survive in the wild. That you had no place amongst us?" He began, stepping forward, glaring at the small male. But, in that split second, master Baggins noticed a quick change in the way Thorin held himself, the way his eyes softened and the closeness of their bodies. "… I have never been so wrong, in all my life!" He breathed and took Bilbo in his arms in a warm embrace. Shocked to say the least, Bilbo let his mouth drop open and he looked at the others cheer and smile at the sight. Thorin pulled away a few moments later and placed his hands on his small arms. "I'm sorry I doubted you"

"No, I would have doubted me too. Im not a hero, or a warrior… not even a burglar" Bilbo answered and it caused Gandalf and Thorin to chuckle; the first genuine smile that Bilbo had seen upon Thorin's face in a long time. The eagles began to depart from the rock, leaving the dwarves staring at them in wonder and thanks. Bilbo too, breathed in happily as the birds left in the distance, but Thorin, he looked away, at something that caught his attention. Bilbo noticed this and turned around to see what it was. In the distance, slightly hidden by a brushing of pink and white sky, was a mountain peak.

"Is that, what I think it is?" He exclaimed, and the company turned its attention toward what their leader and the Halfling were gazing at. Thorin could not believe it; he had to get closer just to make sure his eyes were not playing tricks on him. Walking up the pointed rock with a slight limp and battered face, he could not hold back the look of awe displayed on his face.

"Erebor!" Gandalf confirmed. Just then, a bird fluttered by merrily, catching the attention of the dwarves. One dwarf exclaimed in excitement that to see the bird fly back to the mountain was a sign of the maps words coming to be. Thorin smiled at this and glanced down at the hobbit

"It is a good omen" he said in his deep voice. All was quaint and happy; staring at their home, until one unfortunate happening was remembered. "Anya…" her name danced on his tongue like a bitter herb as he remembered the state in which he had left her when he pursued the white orc. "Is she ok?" he spoke urgently, turning around, facing his men, but no one spoke. "Is she ok?" He demanded once more.

"I don't know…" Nori confessed and stepped aside so the king could see her body lying on the floor.

"Check her pulse; she is rather pale!" Gandalf exclaimed, eyeing the young woman. Nori nodded and bent down, placing his large fingers on her wrist.

"Her pulse seems to be improving since the last time it was checked. She seems to be improving, although she is terribly cold. That could be why her skin is so pale" Nori spoke up after a moment or so and stood up straight, allowing Gandalf access to the woman.

"It would be decent of you all to turn away; I am going to lift her tunic to check her injury" spoke the elderly male, wanting the others to turn away as it would not deem decent for many males to look at her exposed skin. All nodded in agreement and turned around, placing their focus on their leader.

"How are you, Uncle?" Fili inquired, stepping closely to the battered male, keeping his tone low so the conversation was only privy to those two. Thorin looked wearily to his nephew and winced as he attempted to place a hand on his arm in reassurance.

"I will be fine" He replied.

"How are you?" Fili persisted once more not satisfied with his answer. Thorin regarded Fili's confidence in that moment, and remembered in that moment that the goblin king had revealed his feelings for the woman in front of all the company. He was positive that he had not liked her, until that moment, when she looked so very terrified, in the arms of the goblins. His heart had sunk at that moment of panic, and now, he felt a similar feeling, looking at his nephew who awaited an answer. Fili was now in competition with the king. Not that Thorin saw it as competition by any means. But he knew that Fili would do everything in his power to push his feelings forward, being that he was more her age and of course, he had a spark in him which Thorin also possessed when he was a youngling; stubborn, naive, self-absorbed even at times. Swallowing, the leader of the company stared at his blonde nephew and felt that, in that moment, he could not lie, for Fili was in no mood for anymore of Thorin's secrets.

"I hurt, but I will heal" He said. Fili regarded his uncle a moment, then, glanced over his shoulder at Gandalf, just in time to see him pulling down her tunic. Sighing, he returned his gaze to the man before him. "Im glad you're alive uncle. I was afraid we had lost you"

"Did I not promise your mother that I would not leave your side?" Thorin reminded his eldest nephew and Fili grinned, nodding his head, looking to the floor. "Are YOU injured?"

"No, I am fine. Kili has a scratch or so like the rest, but I managed to get by with nought but aching limbs. I think a rest this evening will be well received by all Uncle. But it cannot be on this rock. We are too exposed. Will you be able to descend the rock easily enough?" Fili replied, scanning over his elder once more, and recognised, just as Bilbo had, that Thorin's posture was lacking greatly.

"I agree, we are exposed, but we cannot move until Anya is well. The stairway down is too steep to carefully get down by ourselves and also carry another. It would be best to wait" Agreed the regal male, looking past his nephew at the company and saw that they truly were weary and weak. Balin had taken to the floor alongside Bombur and Bifur. He watched as Gandalf pulled away from the woman and…. Did she move? Thorin pondered in that split second. 'Surely not?' But indeed, being who he was, a man of magic and with some learned experience in the art of healing; with thanks to not only his gifts, but the teachings of lord Elrond himself, Gandalf had done for Anya what he had done for Thorin. She held her injured, but healing side, as she slowly sat up into a sitting position, and looked up gratefully up at the magical being. Fili followed his uncle's gaze curiously and his azure eyes came to rest also on the short brunette woman.

"Anya?!" Fili breathed and the woman glanced over to the blonde heir to the throne. She smiled weakly and stood to her feet.

"Ahh lass, what a relief it is to see you awake and on yer feet" Dwalin spoke, grinning at her whilst leaning on his axe.

"It's nice to be up and about" She responded, smiling, and walked past him, and past many hello's and 'hope you are well's', until she reached the line of durin; Fili, Kili and Thorin looking at her silently. "I would speak with you Thorin" She spoke and Fili felt jealously burn up within him. Thorin nodded with his head to the side and opened his arm outward, indicating for her to join with him further up the rock face. Slowly Thorin limped an the woman followed, both in silence. Coming to a halt, at the top of the rock, the king under the mountain turned and regarded the woman.

"What do you wish to discuss in private that could not be said in front of my nephews?" He asked, not with menace in his voice, but concern.

"I can't do this anymore…" She whispered, stepping closer to him. "This isn't my world. All this fighting and death, and injuries…" She indicated at her stomach "… this is not the place I should be in. Im not used to this type of living…. I want to leave this place" as she finished her last words, tears trickled down her pale and scratched cheeks; the salt from her tears stinging her wound. Thorin swallowed heavily and looked to the floor.

"You wish to leave us then?" his voice crackled with sadness. Anya nodded, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. Thorin wanted to embrace her in that moment, but he was aware of curious glances her way, and thought against. It. The mention of her wanting to leave, torn something inside his chest; never had he experienced such a feeling. Thorin nodded, not knowing what to say, and simply looked away to his side, watching the trees in the distance sway in the breeze.

"Im sorry Thorin" she cried quietly and made for him, stepping forward, her arms opening to take him in a warm embrace, but he took a weary step backwards, and snapped his eyes back to her's; wide and confused.

"It's not your fault. You miss your home, I cannot fault you that… perhaps you should tell Fili..." He spoke and turned away from her, not wanting to reveal his hurt to her; he kept his barriers well high.

"We should head off soon. This is not a place to linger when the night draws near. It is not safe" Gandalf spoke suddenly and all grunted in agreement. Anya just stared at the peak of a mountain in the distance. What was she doing? She pondered. Was this all a mistake? Should she have even come this far? Should she have taken Galadriel's offer and return back home? It was all a jumble in her mind… and she hated it.

….

Slowly they descended the mountain; Thorin limping heavily and groaning Anya holding her side as it pulled and the company silent with weariness. Surprisingly, considering how high the mountain rock was, the decent was rather quick. After a about fifteen minutes, the leader of the company sighed with joyous relief as he spotted the end of the stairway. Picking up the pace, eager to walk on a flat surface, Thorin held onto the wall beside him, holding on dearly. "Gandalf, is he going to be alright? He appears to be in a lot of pain" Balin, whom was walking in front if the wizard, asked quietly, not wanting Thorin to hear his concern.

"I am not sure in all honesty. I suppose, when we camp, I will look him over, if he permits it. But, he is a stubborn dwarf; I expect he will refuse my off and carry on" Gandalf replied truthfully and Balin agreed. "Ah! The end" Gandalf then exclaimed happily as he saw the dwarfs step off steps and onto a fantastic emerald green spread of grass. A chatter of happiness then fell upon the company as they believe that decent to be of great achievement. Dwalin grunted and walked up ahead, scouting the area quickly for a place to camp. It was as if the heavens were smiling upon them in that moment. The battle worn dwarf instantly spotted a cave less than one hundred yards away.

"There!" he simply said and Thorin glanced over to his friend and followed his line of sight to the cave and he smiled.

"Well spotted, friend" he spoke and limped over to Dwalin, staring with him at the place they would rest. "Would you be so kind as to check it out?"

"Of course" Dwalin replied and strode over to the cave, followed closely by Bofur, Fili, Kili and Gloin. Thorin watched his nephews walk away for a moment then turned to face dear Anya sitting on a boulder staring blankly into the distance. He noticed her eyes were red and recent tears had decorated her cheeks; she must have wept on the way down, he pondered. Exhaling, the king under the mountain walked over to her, coming to a halt in front of her.

"Anya?"

"Oh, sorry, I did not see you there" she jumped at his presence and quickly dried her cheeks, not wanting to appear Weak to him.

"What is wrong?" he asked softly, cocking his head to the side, regarding her face. She did not look up at him for fear of crying once more.

"Nothing, im fine"

"One does not weep for no reason" Thorin pointed out, raising an eyebrow at her, expecting a decent answer, but none came.

"It's clear!" A voice shouted over and Thorin sighed. He knew at that moment she would rush over to the others for shelter, but, whether it was out of selfishness, he wanted to be alone with her for a little while longer, to speak with her. Just as the thought, Anya jumped to her feet and quickly walked past the leader of the company towards the others as they had already begun to collect branches and twigs for a fire.

…..

As they sat around the fire, tired and hungry, Oin looked on at the strangely quiet woman for a moment or so before breaking the silence and speaking to the woman. "Tell us something about yourself lass or your world. You know so much about our world, yet we know nothing of you" the crowd hummed in agreement and Anya looked up at the old dwarf and gave a weak smile. She currently sat some distance from the group, but on hearing the dwarf's request she scrambled to her feet and made her way towards the fire, suddenly appreciative of the warmth emanating towards her. Thorin too sat by the fire, the cold clearly affecting them all.

"Well ok. Urm, my world is completely different. We have certain piece of um... Machinery that allow us to travel on the ground up to 160 miles per hour and even in the sky..." She began.

"You can travel in the sky?" Ori exclaimed in utter disbelief and Anya nodded.

"... We don't use swords or axes or anything like that. And horses are more for looking after and keeping as pets. We don't ride them from place to place... Uh, our medical abilities are extremely advanced. We can have heart transplants, brain operations, even gender changes! Um, the only downfall of our world is the hate between everyone. There is war between different nations; murders are so common as are natural disasters, more so recently..."

"And that's what you would prefer to go back to?" Thorin questioned and rose to his feet, limping away from the group to an isolated area by a large boulder.

"Continue lass..." Dwalin grumbled, enjoying the story.

"What about love? How is courting displayed in your world?" Kili asked, almost dreamily, with his chin in his hand, leaning on his lap.

"Uh, well. A couple of hundred years ago it was very popular for a girl to be in an arranged marriage, and married or pregnant by the age of 15..." At that the whole company, including Thorin who had glanced over at her words, gasped.

"You were children at that age! Children having children; disgusting" Gandalf exclaimed.  
"... Well it's not like that nowadays. Now, Kids are getting pregnant as little as 12, love is mostly a phase, a lot of adultery's happen, many divorces and parentless children. But, when there is love, it is the strongest force there is. Walks along the beaches, candlelit dinners, dating. I suppose 'courting' as you put it only happens when you meet the right person at the right time. Until then, it's just as excuse to get laid" she finished speaking and looked at the blushing males; a woman saying getting laid completely shocking them.

"you sound sad when talking of love" Bilbo spoke up, looking at the brunette.

"Love is cruel, especially in my world" she retorted and shrugged her shoulders. And she thought; of all the things she had told them about where she lived, it was all negative. Why did she want to go back to a world she subconsciously hated? Not realizing that she was staring into space, crying, Fili got up and moved to her side, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"What is wrong?" He asked and she snapped back to reality.

"What?"

"What's wrong Anya?" He persisted. Anya looked around and noticed that everyone was staring directly at her, concerned. Anya shook her head to indicate 'nothing' and stood to her feet, smiling at Fili before leaving them. Walking past the company and also Thorin, Anya walked towards a visible spring; very small, and not exposed to any danger. Coming to its edge, Anya removed her boots and rolled up her leggings as best as she could. Coming to sit on the bank, the brunette swung her legs and allowed them to hang in the cool water, revelling in the feeling of coolness caressing a serious ache. Leavning back on her hands, Anya closed her eyes and breathed in and out gently, clearing her mind. She didn't know what she wanted, nor what to do, and this break, this 'chilling' at the spring's side would help her calm herself and come to a conclusion. A few moments of silence passed, until the woman's ears picked up sounds of movement beside her, and of boots dropping to her side. Then a thud and splash came, along with a sigh of pleasure. Curious as to who of the company had joined her, Anya slowly opened her eyes, peaking to her side. It was Bofur, the friendly dwarf, dangling his feel also in the spring with a smile sketched on his face.

"You know, when I was just a lad, father used to tell me, that if you keep things locked up inside, slowly over time, it will eat away at you, until it comes to a point where you are not even recognisable to yourself. Something is clearly twisting its way around inside of you lass; otherwise you would not be like you have been today. You can tell me, Have no fear, I can be a confidant as well as a friend to you" Bofur spoke suddenly, taking her by surprise, turning his gaze towards her's, his eyes sad, but his expression his cheery old self.

"You wont tell anyone else?" She inquired, just to make sure. She had had experiences in school where supposed friends had said the same thing to her, and after telling them personal things, spread it around among each year, causing her to become a laughing stock. She was surprised at how quickly she had bonded with the dwarves and the hobbit, gathering that her confidence in people and her trust was greatly diminished in her years of education.

"You have my word Lass" He said, much more seriously, his features hardening to emphasise his point. Nodding her head, satisfied, she began to confess her feelings, unaware that Fili stood not too far behind, behind a tree, listening in on their conversation. He had planned to comfort her, but when he saw bofur walk towards her, he felt slight annoyance. He knew that he should not be eves dropping, for it was rude and the topic of their conversation might be too personal; but being who he was, he could not resist. His uncle had thrown him a disapproving look as he watched him crouch slightly, but Thorin decided not to get involved in that sort of matter with his nephew and the short woman.

"I feel conflicted with many things. Firstly, I told Thorin on the rock, that… that I have decided to return home, this place is not for me, its dangeruous and not what im used to… but as I spoke to you all about my world, it may me think, why would I want to return to that place? I don't know what to do…" she sighed heavily and looked at the water; the movement of her feet causing ripples to appear.

"What else?" Bofur asked, looking at her side profile.

"What?"

"You said firstly when you began to speak, therefore that means that it was your frist point and that you had other issues to speak of" Bofur explained and Anya's lips formed an 'o' in realisation.

"Well um, I know…. I know Fili likes me-"

"I think we all do" Bofur chuckled.

"Well, I like him…" She started and Fili's eyes widened with hopefulness as he listened to the conversation. "… But as a friend, nothing more"

"Well that is fair enough Lass; why would that cause confliction inside you? You cannot be expected to like a certain person because they like you" Commented Bofur and Anya nodded in agreement. Fili felt his heart sink in his chest, and he dropped to sit on the floor, dismayed, but he refused to leave the conversation at hand.

"The thing is, I did not realise until I heard Throin yell out in pain when that thing got him, that it would break me if anything happened to him… not a friendly hurt, but more, um…"

"You have feelings for our king" Bofur offered. Anya would usually feel embarrassed at talk like this with someone. Constantly expecting them to laugh at her, of having them tell her she was not good enough, but when Bofur just looked at her in silence; joy clearly evident in his eyes, she felt a surge of calm and relief. Fili however, refused to hear anymore, and got to his feet, stomping over to the company in a foul mood.

"Yes… I- I guess I do" Anya confessed, realising the truth in her words and closed her eyes. Bofur opened his mouth, intending on speak a reply, but when boots came to a halt by his side, he looked up at the man in question and grinned. Thorin looked down at him and turned his head to the side, silently asking him to leave and allow them to speak, but there was also thanks in his eyes. Bofur nodded and pulled his feet from the water and grabbed his boots, standing up and silently walked away. Thorin quickly removed his boots, trying not to groan in pain, and resumed Bofur's previous position. "What do you think I should do?" She almost whispered, her eyes still shut.

"I think you should stay" Thorin replied, watching the woman startle and snap her eyes open wide, looking at him in shock.

"How long have you been there!" a squeak came from her mouth, causing the leader of the company to smirk.

"Just in time to hear that you harbour feelings for me" his voice sounded confident. Anya blushed deeply and looked at the water, thinking that perhaps the look of the cool water would bring her temperature down somehow. It did not. Clearing her throat, trying to clear up the awkwardness, Anya stretched, but unfortunately for her… too much. As her arm stretched, she lost her balance and fell forward. Thorin gasped and reached forward in attempt to grab her, but was too late and the small brunette fell into the spring, her whole body going under the water for a few seconds .coming to the surface, Anya spluttered and wiped the cold water from her face. She stood in front of the leader of the company completely soaked through and unimpressed. Thorin would have chuckled at the situation, but the colour of her lips indicated that she was freezing. Another thing he noticed, that perhaps he should not have, was how her clothes clung to her body; her pale skin visibly showing through her white tunic. Anya held herself tightly and sloshed her way toward Thorin, her eyes never leaving his. Thorin's mouth dropped open at the strange feelings that plagued him and not realizing it, he had slid into the water, meeting her half way. Reaching out a hand, the king under the mountain placed it on Anya's cheek; his larger hands almost covering the right side of her face. Anya sucked in a deep breath and closed her eyes at the touch; she suddenly felt warmer in the cold water.

"I think we should get back to-" the English woman began, but when she felt her head being pulled forwards, she silenced, unsure of what was about to happen. Thorin leaned his head forward and paused a moment before placing his rough, cut lips on top of the womans. Humming approvingly at the sensation, thorin moved them slightly, elicting a slight gasp from Anya. Holding her head still in his hands; placing his other hand on the otherside of her face, Thorin deepened the kiss. Anya responded and dropped her hands from her chest, wrapping them around his neck. After what seemed like eternity, Anya removed her arms and pulled away to breath. Her gaze instantly went to the water, feeling greatly embarrassed.

"Don't hide your face from me" He said softly, and lifted her chin up with a finger. Anya's eyes fluttered to his and somehow the colour of his eyes had deepened, and his expression majorly relaxed. Chuckling at her, Thorin stroked her cheek and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "-Yes, perhaps we should head back" He spoke, looking downat her soaked body once more, in what seemed to be a different way. Clearing his throat, Thorin turned around and placed his hands on the bank of grass, pulling himself up and out of the water. Once on the land, the leader of the company turned back around and reached out a hand, wincing at the pain that attacked his limbs. Anya reached for him and settled her feet on the bank, pulling herself up.

"Thank you, Thorin" She spoke, smiling at him.

"I don't feel as cold now" She admitted, and absentmindedly touched her lips with her fingers; still able to feel the tingling on them from the contact with his own.

"Nor do I" He admitted.

"So what does this mean?" She indicated to what had just happened.

"What do you want it to mean?" He dished her with a question for a reply. Anya swallowed and looked everywhere but him for a few moments, until her thoughts settled.

"I think it means im staying" Anya replied, fiddling with the hem of her tunic.

"A good answer that is" Thorin said lusciously, moving forward to place a kiss on her mouth, but Anya placed her hands on his chest to stop him.

"The group is just there; they will see. I don't want anyone to know of this yet, especially Fili"

"Agreed. Come then, let us get something to eat and some rest. I expect we will be journeying tomorrow, despite our complaints. The sooner we leave, the better. After all, the birds are flying back to the mountain; Durins day is upon up." Said he. Anya nodded in agreement, and slowly both walked back to the camp, trying to hide their grins.


	9. Chapter 9

That night all of the company slept like babies. The battle had gotten to them and they were clearly worn out. Only the sounds of breathing and birds tapping at trees could be heard. The only one away, and barely, was the small hobbit Bilbo. He had offered to take watch as he eyed the exhausted men; thinking that they deserved to sleep after what they had endured. It was not as cold that night as previous days gone by, and this, the hobbit was thankful for. He held himself tightly however; this being his first watch; he was frightened, he could not lie. His eyes roamed the area back and forth, back and forth, with fear that if his eyes stayed still a moment, something would come along. He was thinking however, of the moment Anya and Thorin, and the way they had returned to camp; both wet, Anya more so, and a silent grin on their faces that they thought no one could see. He may not have been a great fighter, but Bilbo was a keen observer, very keen indeed. Something had obviously happened between them, or something was said; whatever it was, he was thankful of it; for Thorin had been the happiest he had been in the whole of the journey up until the moment they all laid down and put their heads to rest. Anya led beside the king under the mountain; another action that led him to think of possible scenarios that took place between them when they had left the camp. But, it was nought any of his business, Bilbo pondered, although it was in a hobbits nature to be curious. Rubbing has hands together; why he did not know, for he was not cold, Bilbo sighed from boredom. "Right… well, this is tedious" He spoke aloud, his tone dull. His posture slacking, the hobbit pulled his attention away from the area for a moment and eyed the company. It appeared that the people that plagued his mind were awake, speaking to each other so quietly, that if it were not for their eyes open, looking at each other, and their lips moving, he would have presumed them to be sleeping. He thought to make conversation, to make this 'watch' more bearable, but judging by their closeness, he thought against it and simply turned back around with a yawn, gazing blankly at the trees.

"Tell me about your parents" Thorin whispered, his eyes sparkling in the moonlight; shimmering like glitter in sunlight.

"My mother's name was Karen, and my father's name was joseph…" Anya spoke softly in reply.

"You speak of them in past tense; why?" Thorin asked, curious, his brow furrowing.

"They, uh, they died a few years ago" her reply came and Thorin's eyes widened in sympathy and sorrow.

"I am sorry that you have endured loss Anya. I know how you feel; I too lost a mother and father"

"Oh, sorry Thorin, I didn't know" Anya apologised and looked away. Thorin smiled and cupped her cheek with his manly hand, stroking the skin soothingly.

"Carry on..." He insisted, continuing to stroke her skin.

"My mother was a nurse… like a healer. My father was a baker; he owned his own business, making bread and cakes for weddings and events such as that…"

"You were part of a successful family" He complimented, shuffling closer so that their noses nearly touched. "…Do you think of them a lot?" he asked, seeing the pain in her eyes. She nodded to him and swallowed hard. Thorin sighed sadly, and pulled her face towards his so that their noses finally met. Turning his head at an angle, the son of Thrain placed his lips gently on hers and closed his eyes at the feeling. He had kissed another before in his lifetime, but never had it felt like this before. It was as if flame were lit inside his chest, and the more contact his lips had with hers, the hotter the flame burnt. It was almost magical. Slightly gripping her hair between his fingers, Thorin pressed his lips a little harder against hers and revelled in the low hums coming from her throat. Anya moved in sync with him, her breath becoming heavier, and she tightly gripped the furs of his coat. The beard of the king scratched and tickled the woman's face as their heads moved together. The heat within the prince burned ever stronger and he broke away from the kiss, breathless and warm. The brunette opened her eyes slowly, her lips apart, and she let out a long sigh. They led there for a moment; silent and averting their gaze from one another. As Thorin looked away, he spotted Master Bilbo sitting there still and he realized, that after all this time, no one had taken over his shift; he had been sat there many an hour. "I should take over from him; he has been awake far too long" he whispered, and then finally glanced back at the woman he had just shared an intimate moment with. Anya released Thorin's firs from her grasp and smiled.

"Ok. Do you want me to sit with you?" she asked.

"No, no, I have kept you awake long enough…" He began, and cleared his throat as quietly as possible "… sleep, recover you strength, for we leave tomorrow." Anya closed her eyes as she felt Thorin move away and stand to his feet. She instantly felt the warmth leave her as his body was gone. It was surprising how much heat emanated from him. The dark haired leader walked over to the oblivious hobbit, watching his slouched form.

"Bilbo? Why have you not woken anyone up to take over? Thorin asked as he came to stand in front of the hobbit; the hobbit who, just a day before has saved his life. Bilbo looked up at the regal male, his eyes evidently heavy with tiredness.

"I figured you could all do with some sleep" his reply came, his words only slightly slurring. Thorin exhaled in annoyance that the hobbit had gotten himself in such a state and took hold of his arm, pulling him to his feet.

"Go and sleep hobbit" Thorin Commanded and Bilbo looked uncertainly at the leader of the company. "Bilbo, get some rest" he stated again, his tone serious. Bilbo sighed and turned away, walking over to the place where Thorin had rested, and took to sleeping on his bed roll next to Anya. The dark haired king breathed in the cool air and took a seat where Bilbo had previously sat; his cheeks still burning from the intimate time spent with the small woman just minutes ago.

"Ere, what we supposed to eat? Our food ran out in the goblin caves" Dwalin complained, sitting on the floor, his stomach grumbling. The other members of the company groaned in agreement and hunger, looking around at one another with disappointed faces.

"Mr Gandalf, can't you magic some food into being?" Dori inquired of the wizard, eyes hopeful.

"Master Dori, do you not think that if I could do that, I would have done it sooner?" the old man replied, glaring at the dwarf in question. They were not the only creatures who were hungry, he thought. Dori huffed and held himself tightly, looking at the floor.

"Well we need to find something to eat" Kili mumbled, shuffling closer to his brother; the morn was colder than usual, and all tried to preserve as much heat as possible. Thorin watched his nephews shiver and felt a tinge of worry and guilt inside. He had promised to take care of his nephews in every way possible, and yet, here they were, shivering from cold, and utterly hungry.

"Perhaps we should scout the area for something" Thorin spoke then, his eyes never leaving his nephews.

"We cannot separate and wander off; Azog will have his scouts on the lookout for you!" Gandalf spoke, his voice stern. His arms were crossed and his hat angled so that it covered his face as he leant against a tree. The dwarves had looked hopefully up at their leader then sullenly at the wizard in a split moment.

"Be that as it may; I will not have my men starve! What use will we be in combat if we are too weak to even get up this morn? We are more or less dead if we do not get sustenance soon" Thorin snapped at the old man, taking everyone by surprise for none had heard him speak to another in such a manor. The wizard lifted his head and pushed back his hat to reveal his features and he was none too happy at the tone in which the king under the mountain had spoken to him.

"Then what do you suggest? I know of a place where we can take safe refuge, but it is at least a few days from here. A shape shifter, named Beorn, he will welcome us into his home, and feed you all to your heart's content. Can you not wait until then?!" Gandalf exclaimed, using his hands to emphasise his point.

"We have not eaten for two days! You expect us to go another three or so?" Scoffed Dwalin, completely repelled by Gandalf's proposal.

"I cannot expect that of my men, nor Anya or the Hobbit; especially the hobbit. They are used to feasting much more than we dwarves. What effect would starving a few more days do him? I will not have our burglar die in our company Gandalf. I will go; not too far from this camp. I will search for something" replied the luscious male.

"You are in no state to go off by yourself! You are injured; what if something was to attack you on your own? You barely have enough strength to carry yourself when you walk. Don't think we haven't noticed laddie" Balin interrupted, staring at the leader knowingly. Exhaling, realising that the words from old Balin were true, Thorin then flailed his arms uncharacteristically in defeat; what were they supposed to do then? All looked around at each other for quite some time, still very silent and weak, and Thorin's gaze returned to his nephews; one of which, Kili, was asleep, his head resting on his brothers shoulder.

"I'll go" A voice suddenly erupted in the silence, and all eyes turned to young Anya, standing sheepishly in the middle of the company.

"Don't be foolish Lass, you can't go out there" Bofur exclaimed.

"Look, I've been pretty useless to you since I came here. At least let me do this. I won't go too far, I will take a sword or something and if I see anything, I will come straight back." Explained the brunette woman. The dwarves looked amongst themselves, thinking this over. Thorin of course, as well as Fili, glared at her; this was not what they wanted for her. What if she got killed? Or even injured? He was about to audibly tell her no when Bilbo spoke.

"I will come with you, and will bring my sword. You will have two advantages. One, I know what is good to eat and what isn't; you wouldn't want to pick anything poisonous for example. And secondly, my sword lights up in the presence of Orcs and Wargs; it would alert us, and give us time to return if need be." Finished the hobbit and Gandalf grinned at the Halflings words; he was proving to be a great deed extra to the company. His words made sense, but Thorin tried to think of something against it so that Anya would not have to leave the company, but unfortunately, no reason came. Begrudgingly, Thorin nodded his head in agreement, and stared at Anya. He could not walk over to her, to wish her well, for that would alert the others of what had been happening between them both since yesterday; he knew that it was best for all of them to keep it quiet for now. Instead, he just stared, his eyes showing her hidden emotions. She understood him and cast back a similar look back.

"Ok, let's go; the sooner we leave, the sooner we return" Anya spoke and turned away, the hobbit joining her, both leaving the company, into the trees.

….

"How did it go last night with the lass?" Bofur asked, coming to sit beside the king, looking sideways at him with his cheeky grin. Thorin smirked and glanced back at his old friend.

"She is staying… I think anyway" Thorin replied and watched Bofur grin even more. "You knew didn't you, before she even opened up to you, you knew" Thorin rolled his eyes at his old friend and watched him snigger to the side of him.

"Aye, I knew; im surprised the others did not suspect it. I am truly happy for you Thorin. You and the lass, you look good together" Bofur commented, looking over at the silent company; half asleep, half almost there. "You're concerned for the Lass and master Baggins" He stated when Thorin did not comment on his words just moments before. The king under the mountain nodded solemnly and closed his eyes, trying to imagine both of the small creatures getting there and back safely. "They'll be fine; they won't stray far. Look, you are still healing, and you look shattered; go and get some rest. I will wake you as soon as they return."

"I cannot-"

"Thorin, forgive me for speaking out of turn to you, for you are after all our king; but stop being so proud and sleep. We will not see you as weak. You simply need rest" Bofur said, his tone deepening with seriousness as he stood in front of the king.

"I would scold one who would speak to me in such a manner, but, you are my friend, and I will listen to you" Thorin sighed, and rose to his feet, tapping Bofur's arm in gratitude. "Thank you my friend"

"You're welcome, my lord" Bofur responded and bowed mockingly, knowing that it was annoy Thorin. The king under the mountain rolled his eyes and slowly made his way over to his bedroll, walking past various sleeping bodies.

…..

"Ugh, this is no use. Why can't this place have a darn supermarket?" Anya moaned, looking around at the shrubbery, rocks and trees; no sign of animal or edible plants, nothing at all. Bilbo's brow furrowed and glanced at the stropping woman with curious eyes.

"Supermarket? What makes a market 'super'?" He inquired and Anya snapped her attention toward the small male with wide open eyes.

"You know a place where you buy food and drink?" she offered, but a blank expression was still plastered on his face.

"Don't you grow food, herd cattle? Is it not expensive to buy food all the time? Besides, I think it is rather refreshing and calming to look for ingredients for a meal." Bilbo answered with a grin, and carried on looking around at the various plant life and hoped that he would spot an animal; a hare, a rabbit or something.

"I miss just going to the local supermarket, picking up the things you need. Ugh, I miss marshmallow fluff and hot chocolate. What I wouldn't do for that." Anya murmured, her mouth-watering at the thought of such a sugary drink. Shrugging away her fancies, Anya followed Bilbo, whom had gotten a little further up ahead and it was then where she spotted it. "Bilbo!" She whispered, but loud enough for him to hear. The hobbit glanced back at the young woman, then to where her eyes were staring and noticed a small fox crouching by some stones. Bilbo would have thought it a very large Fox, until he came to realise that it was indeed two! The Halfling grinned. 'That will do nicely' he thought to himself and slowly stepped forward toward them; sting rose up in the air, ready to bring down on the peaceful creatures. It was a sad thing to do, when they looked so very small, so very helpless, but when it came between saving them or starving, there was not much choice in the hobbits mind. Yes he would be sad at seeing the animals lay dead, but the thought of the company having some sort of relief from the hunger pushed that away. Gradually he got closer; the animals clearly oblivious to his presence… the benefits of being stealthy and light on their feet. Finally, Bilbo was right beside the foxes, and suddenly realised that they were nestled, sleeping against each other. 'Well, that will make things much easier' he pondered. Lowering his sword, the Halfling picked up the foxes gently by their tales, and lifted them into his arms, careful not to disturb them; which was foolish really…. He concerned about disturbing an animal's sleep, when eventually the company would be feasting on them. Grinning at Bilbo's catch, Anya skipped merrily to his side, tapping his arm in happiness.

"At least they are going to eat now" Anya said chirpily, as both walked back past the trees, boulders and shrubs back to the camp.

"All thanks to you miss" Bilbo commented, smiling at her.

"What? No. you got them" Anya replied, frowning at the small male.

"You spotted them. If you had not, and we had walked past, we may have journeyed back to the camp empty handed. It is because of you that they will eat"

"Joint effort? Im not taking the glory" Anya quipped, looking up ahead, seeing the nearing bodies lying on the floor. Bilbo grinned and nodded his head.

"Joint it is miss"

…..

"Why are you so solemn? We have gone without food before and it has not effected your happiness as such. You would swear someone cut off your beard for Durin's sake, Fili!" Kili spoke to his brother, nudging him with his elbow, trying to spark a reaction from his elder sibling. He noticed his eyes were focused on other things. Fili sat, staring at the body of his uncle sleeping on the ground peacefully, in silence. "I thought you accepted the Uncle has feelings for Anya as well. Fili, you cannot feel that was towards him; bitterness and jealousy toward a family member is wrong. Thorin does not deserve that from you"

"I am not bitter, nor am I jealous of him… I envy him. That is wrong also, of which I know, but I cannot help it. I listened in on Anya speaking with Bofur… she expressed her feelings also for Uncle, and that she did not wish to be part of any romantic relations with myself. At least I know where I stand now. At least, I do not have to suffer the embarrassment of addressing my feelings to her. Now I know this, I will back away. I may be envious slightly, but I am also happy. I look at Uncle, and what I see is pain, grief, and despair. He deserves happiness in his life, in this time. Truly, if anyone is more deserved on happiness, it is Thorin Oakenshield" Fili replied, and looked sideways to his brother, whom had tears sparkling in his eyes and a warm smile on his face.

"Aye, he does"

…

"Ori, what are you writing?" Bofur asked the young dwarf, glancing at the quill moving incredibly fast over the leather bound parchment. Ori looked up from his book from where he sat by his sleeping brothers and smiled.

"Just about our journey so far; it keeps me sane. I may not be a skilled fighter, but I CAN produce a decent bit of writing" Ori responded, a pink flush appearing on his cheeks.

"Ere, don't put yourself down lad. Be sure to show Bilbo that writing of yours when he returns; I hear he likes a bit of writing here and there" Bofur winked at the young one and Ori smiled in return, thankful of the support of the older dwarf. Moments later he turned his attention back to his book and the quill once again danced excitedly over the parchment.

…

"Oh, Im hungry!" Bombur complained.

"You are always hungry master dwarf" Gandalf grumbled and the large dwarf sighed and rolled onto his back, closing his eyes in defeat.

…..

"Thorin… Thorin wake up" A voice echoed in the kings ears and he was being ripped from his much needed sleep. The king under the mountain rolled onto his side and then a bought of laughter in his ear was heard. "Thorin, wake up, they have returned!" bofur grinned as Thorin, almost childlike, pulled away and grumbled. Placing his hands on Thorin's arm, he shook gently. His eyes slowly opened and came into focus, staring up at the grinning dwarf with his hat dangling merrily by his ears.

"Bofur, what?" He mumbled tiredness evident in the way his words formed.

"They have arrived and their search was successful! All are up and in merry spirits. Bilbo has the beasts cooking on a spit; it should be ready soon!"

"How long have they been back? How long have you left me sleeping whilst they others have been awake?" Thorin asked, shocked to know that he, the leader, had been sleeping whilst his men were up… whilst Anya was back.

"Look, you needed the rest, and the others thought so too" Bofur replied, not ashamed by his decision. "Your awake now, that's all that matters" Thorin grumbled under his breath, and moved into a sitting position, glaring at the chirpy dwarf. Bofur smiled and walked away to join the others.

"Well hey there sleepy" A familiar voice sounded and Thorin looked up, flushed with embarrassment at young Anya.

"Hello" He regarded her.

"So, I leave, fetch food, help Bilbo cook it all the while you sleep, and all you've got it hello?" she said, pretending to be offended. Thorin was unaware of her joke and he jumped to his feet in an instant, holing her arms in his hands.

"I do apologise. How are you?" He said, his tone majestic and apologetic.

"Im fine Thorin…." She chuckled "…. I came to fetch you; Food's ready" She finished speaking and walked away back to the others, leaving the almost always, regal prince, dumbfounded.


	10. Chapter 10

"We can wait one more day; it is not a problem Thorin. We have our strength up now because of the food, yes, but you still need to heal. It is not as if you had a few cuts and grazes laddie" Balin spoke softly to the king under the mountain as he stood, alone, packing away his items into his bag; an unimpressed look upon his face.

"Balin…" He began his voice strained and weary "… I am fine. I can manage. I am healing"

"Keep reassuring yourself laddie, but you know I am right. At least allow the wizard to check your wounds over once before we leave and venture to this 'Beorn'. It would give me peace of mind, let alone you nephews. Are you aware that they have come to both myself and Bilbo airing their concerns on your health?" the white, bearded dwarf answered, coming to stand beside his friend, placing a hand on his arm and pushing it slightly, forcing Thorin to look at him in the eye.

"There is nothing I can say to satisfy you about my well-being is there?" Thorin sounded uncharacteristically defeated, and threw his pipe that he had been holding, back onto his bag. Balin did not speak, but the king under the mountain was very familiar with the look that lingered in the old males eyes. Nodding, accepting what Balin suggested, a large exhale escaped his mouth.

"Would you care for my company or that of Oin's? We both have some knowledge of healing injuries; we can assist the wizard if need be" Balin lowered his voice, knowing that the regal male would not want the others to hear this conversation.

"No, thank you Balin; I will be fine with just the wizard. Make sure the others will be ready to leave shortly. I cannot imagine I will take much of the wizard's time." he spoke and smiled gently at Balin and left his side, walking toward Gandalf with his shoulders slouched.

….

"Well, finally, the stubbornness has subsided. I was willing to place bets on how long it would take you to come to you senses" Gandalf chuckled as he led Thorin away from the company; not too far though, only enough to shield Thorin from prying eyes.

"I am only here on Balin's request" Thorin snarled, glaring at the back of the wizard's head. He did not see Gandalf smile, but it was so obvious that he could feel it and the irritation inside him grew stronger. Gandalf came to a halt beside a large boulder, high enough for Thorin to sit of for him to inspect the wounds. Facing the dwarf king, Gandalf pointed to the spot with the tip of his staff.

"Sit Thorin, and remove your top garments" He instructed and Thorin grumbled under his breath, pulling his fur from his shoulders and he stepped closer to the rock. Finally, when he reached it, he managed to remove his outer coat and tunic, leaving him in just a thin under shirt. Gandalf frowned when Thorin took a seat at the red that covered the once white material. "Not injured indeed" Gandalf snorted and placed down his staff, leaning it against the rock beside the dwarf king. "Remove that too Master dwarf" the regal dwarf glared at the grey clad male and winced as he raised his muscly arms to remove his last piece of clothing on his top half, and tossed it to the side. "Thorin!" Gandalf exclaimed in annoyance as he looked over the deep red, almost black gashes along his chest, and a large bruise covering his chest and extending over his shoulder and down his back; clearly evident where the ward had bitten into his armour and pressed dangerously tight against his skin. It was a blackish-blue tint to the skin over the left side of his torso however, that had the wizard concerned. "I believe you may have broken a rib, Thorin" the king under the mountain closed his eyes in disbelief, thinking his injuries to be nothing more than a scratch here and there. "I can clean your cuts and soothe the bruising, but the rib will have to mend by itself"

"I understand" Thorin spoke and watched the Wizard nod and remove his hat, placing it down with his staff.

"I have some salve with me; it may sting your cuts but it will aid with the healing and should bring a cooling sensation upon them" Gandalf spoke, opening his bag, removing a jar containing a greyish blue substance. Thorin exhaled loudly and moved his gaze away from the wizard, shivering as the morning air came in contact with his bare torso. His eyes wandered through the trees, catching a glimpse here and there of the company in the distance, chattering and merry making. Swallowing; his throat as dry as sandpaper, the king under the mountain looked further to the right, seeing something moving in the corner of his eye. Anya stood next to a tree, her body hidden but her head poking out, surveying the situation at hand. Thorin stared deep into her eyes, and slightly shook his head, warning her not to come over to them whilst Gandalf aided his wounds. Anya nodded and dropped to the floor, leaning her back against the tree, watching Thorin in the distance. "Do you have pain anywhere else Thorin?" Gandalf inquired, soaking a cloth that he had in his bag with some water from his flask, and gently placed it over the Dwarf kings cuts, ignoring the hisses and groans that escaped his lips. The cool water trickled over the blue tinted skin and caressed it like an ice cube of burnt skin. The cloth however was a different matter; its ragged ends scraped across and inside the open wounds, making it sore and red. Thorin closed his eyes, his back slouched and fists clenched in his lap, trying to think of anything else but his discomfort. "It was wise of you to come to me now"

"And why is that wizard?" Thorin growled through gritted teeth as Gandalf dried the wounds with another piece of cloth, pressing a bit harsher that previously.

"Your wounds were on the brink of infection; then you would have indeed, slowed us down" explained the wise one. The dwarf grunted in response and closed his eyes tightly as Gandalf rubbed the salve into the recently cleaned wounds.

"Well, all is well now" Thorin replied, his voice hoarse.

"Stubbornness will get you nowhere Thorin, especially when you intend on ruling kingdom"

"I need no lectures from you old man"

"Be that as it may, but my words still reign as truth. There, I have tended to your wounds to the best of my abilities. Get dressed before you catch a cold" instructed the grey wizard, wiping his hands on the cloth before twisting the lid back onto the jar of salve and placing it back into his side bag with his flask of water. Thorin glared at the old man and reached stiffly for his thin tunic. Placing his arms through the sleeves, Thorin gripped the seam of the tunic and pulled it up and over his head, brining it down to cover his body. The coolness of the air felt less violent against his battered and bruised skin now that his under-shirt was on, and Thorin smiled with content. Gandalf regarded the dwarf one more moment before leaving his side to return to the company, not wanting to experience any more of the dwarf's stubbornness this morn. After pulling on his second tunic, then his thin coat, Thorin relaxed his shoulder and slid from the rock, standing to his feet. Gripping his belt that let on the rock, Thorin brought it around his waist, over the clothing, and fastened it tightly; the crest of his family, the line of durin, the centre of his belt.

"Why do dwarves wear so many layers?" A sweet voice sounded from behind him, and Thorin grinned as he picked up his fur coat and placed it on with very little ease. Anya frowned at the stiffness evident in the leader of the company and came to stand by his side, regarding his slouched posture and dark skin under his eyes.

"To keep us warm of course; is that not why you wear clothing, apart from covering your modesty?" he replied, his voice still croaking from the lack of drink and the frequent yelling.

"Well yeah, of course, but you don't see me wearing a thousand layers!" The brunette replied sarcastically and Thorin raised his eyebrows at her tone.

"You do know that sarcasm is the lowest form of wit" Thorin commented, standing up straight once more, now clad in all his garments and looking rather regal despite his scratched face and weary eyes.

"It's served me well, what can I say" Anya replied, shrugging her shoulders playfully, and turned from the royal male, intending on walking back to the others to continue their stressful journey.

"Why do I get the impression that you do not agree with life and what it serves you?" Thorin questioned, curious as to why this woman, from another land foreign to them all, would dislike practically everything that life had to offer. Was her life really that miserable that she had not one single good thing to say about it? Was she hurt so much that to fall from a cliff seemed like the only option in her life? How she even had the capacity in her mind to just freely take off from the heights was beyond him. In this world, although there were horrors and death beyond imagining, life was valued to the last day. If one was to hate life, they were deemed ill. Life was a gift from the creator, not something that could be used and abused as one saw fit. And to take a life, even that of their own life, was something rather dreadful and almost totally unheard of.

"Because life sucks" Was her only reply and she carried on walking away toward the others.

"Sucks what?" Thorin muttered under his bread, not familiar with her expressions as of late. Deciding to not linger on it, he shrugged his shoulders and followed in silence.

….

"Gandalf, who is Beorn?" Ori inquired on the road as everyone walked quietly for some hours; the tiredness of what they had endured the past few days latching onto them like a bad smell.

"A shape shifter dear Ori. He is a very welcoming and friendly being." replied the elderly wizard, slightly annoyed that he would not be experiencing a silent journey this day. Hobbits, he surveyed, were not the only curious and questionable creatures in middle earth.

"And there'll be food?" Dwalin grumbled from nearer the front causing the company to chuckle at his response.

"Yes master Dwalin, there will be food and shelter." said Gandalf, his tone dull and unexciting. Thorin grinned at his old friend in the front of the company. He had allowed the boisterous dwarf to lead this day, for his speed had slowed down somewhat in that day. The salve had indeed cooled down his wounds, but soothe, it did not. It seemed that the continuous rubbing of the wet and dry cloth over his torn skin had done more damage than good. His skin felt like it had been stretched to the ends of the earth and back. It felt like it would tear I he were to bend over or walk a little faster than usual. Thorin had to bite back his pride and inform master Balin and Dwalin of his current predicament and so they took to the front, leading the way with the wizard at their side.

"Uncle is moving sheepishly" Kili spoke to his brother, constantly glancing over his shoulder at the king walking slowly behind them.

"He is weary, it is expected" Fili replied, glancing at his siblings concerned expression with comfort.

"He looks like he is about to drop" Kili pointed out, looking back over his shoulder once more.

"Like I said, he is weary. He was attacked by a warg after all"

"He has not spoken to us yet"

"Kili! Thorin just needs space. It does you no good to worry about every little thing. Uncle would say the same thing to you; you know this. He will speak, when he is ready. Just give him time brother" Fili comforted his younger brother with a pat on his shoulder and stole a glance back at his uncle in question. He did indeed walk slowly, with young Anya beside him, both silent. Sighing and shaking his head, the royal blonde dwarf snapped his attention away and focused it on the others up ahead.

...

"Well go on then, what's left for you here? Nothing that's what!"

"I thought you loved me!"

"Don't be stupid. I was only with you to get closer to Alison"

"She was my friend Ryan! How could you!"

"Pretty easy really. There's you, small pathetic Anya, or Alison, the smoking hot blonde. I really don't think there was a choice to be made really. It was obvious"

"So what now, Ryan? You're just going to leave me now? Here?"

"Stop winging Anya. Why don't you just jump of that cliff and save us all this bother?"

"Bother? I was your fiancé!"

"Well you're not now! I can't believe we are still talking about this. I. Don't. Want. You"

"R-Ryan what are you doing... Don't come any closer! Ryan stop! Stop! What... No!"

…

Anya gasped as she regained consciousness. She did not know what happened, but as she opened her eyes, they focused on an array of concerned faces. Gandalf, Bilbo, Thorin, Fili and Kili looked down at Anya on the floor with their brows furrowed. She gathered that she was lying on the floor judging from their position above her. How she got there though was beyond her. She could hear voices, but they were distorted, as if they were being spoken under water. Anya blinked her eyes furiously, watching as their lips moved, but she could not fully understand what they were saying to her. Anya slowly moved her legs and flexes her hands. She ached as if she had fallen heavily. Perhaps that's what she did? She pondered. Her head spun greatly and she slowly sat up into a sitting position. Thorin came to kneel in front of her and placed his hands on her arms. Again, he was speaking, but she could neither here nor understand anything that left his mouth. She gathered that the dwarf king must have realised this for he looked up at the wizard with concern. They were disguising something that was evident. With her head spinning, Anya groaned and scrambled to her knees, wobbling and her legs tried to support her weight. The brunette felt hands on her arms, hoisting her up to her feet, and she felt a spin of sickness overwhelm her, but she fought against it. As she closed her eyes, controlling the nausea, flashbacks of what plagued her mind a few seconds ago returned. Snapping her eyes open in horror, Anya pushed the arms away and held up her palms for them to step back.

"Anya what is it? Are you ok?" Bilbo asked.

"I didn't- I didn't-" she fumbled over her words, looking terrified as her eyes rested upon Thorin's, fully aware of the whole company silent and watching her.

"You did not what?" questioned Gandalf, stepping forward with curiosity.

"I- I didn't... Jump" she rasped out, her gaze never leaving the king under the mountains. Thorin looked at her with a quizzical look and stepped forward, waiting for further explanation. "He, I - ... He pushed me"

"What?" Balin exclaimed, stepping forward past young Ori and master Dori and looked frightful at the panicked woman.

"I did not fall from the cliff. Ryan pushed me off" Anya spoke and felt her head spin unnaturally fast as flashes of her ex-fiancé pounding his way toward her as she stood on the edge of the rock flooded across her sight.

"Well it seems you have been blessed with a second chance in this land, dear Anya" Gandalf hummed into the conversation. Anya snapped her attention back to the old man, shocked at his comment.

"Blessed? You don't understand! I died; Im dead in my world. I don't really exist! I can't go back to my world; ever. Im stuck here! Im like a ghost!" she shouted, shaking with fear and shock. Thorin stepped forward, walking past the company and came to a halt in front of the hysterical woman. Placing his hands on her arms, the kind under the mountain looked deep into the brunette's eyes and gently shook her.

"Anya enough, stop it, you will make yourself ill" she said sternly and Anya held her lounge, looking wildly at the dwarven king. "Calm yourself!"

"Thorin, she looks like she's going to-" Bofur began, and as if on cue, Anya turned a sickly pale and fell backwards, her legs giving way and her arms slipping from the kings grasp. Thorin instantly reached forward just in time to catch the falling woman before her body collided with the floor. He held her close to his chest and glanced up at the old wizard with worry evident in his eyes.

"She will be fine; she is just suffered shock" Gandalf replied to the son of Thrain's expression. Nodding, Thorin held on tighter and looked around at the company feeling suddenly helpless.

"I cannot carry her" Thorin spoke, feeling embarrassed and weak; his back aching and his wounds throbbing. He wanted nothing more than to carry her in his arms, but his body betrayed him. Dwalin pushed passed the others and took the limp woman from his friend's arms, scooping her up into a bridal hold. Thorin nodded to him in thanks and solemnly regarded the woman with whom he had shared few intimate moments with.

"We should keep moving. Wizard, how many more days until we reach this 'beorns' home?" Thorin spoke.

"A day, maybe two. It depends on the speed in which we travel"

"Let's us be hasty then"

...

The company had travelled many hours that day through rough terrains and vast green trees. Anya had not woken the whole duration of the travelling and so the dwarves took it in turn to carry the unconscious woman. They had stopped several times throughout the day, eating a little here, resting a little there. It was not until the moon shone brightly in the blackened sky did the wizard deem it wise to taken rest and shelter for the night. The dwarves had found a small gathering of boulders between some thick willow trees and took to it in haste. Immediately they set up camp, with the older dwarves making a fire with all the twigs and sticks a like. Nori, whom was the last to carry the woman, placed her down gently to the back of the boulders, not wanting her to be disturbed by the chattering of the other dwarves. On the road, Bombur had come across two male rabbits, and so Bofur had taken to skinning the beats as the others took to placing their bed mats to the ready so that once they had eaten their full they could take to laying down their heads as soon as possible. Fili and Kili, it would seem, could not even hold on until mealtime and were fast asleep on the ground, lying side by side. "hmmm…" a whimper left the brunettes mouth and Thorin, whom was marching back and forth in front of her sleeping body, came to a halt and faced her.

"Anya?" he whispered, making sure that the company did not notice, and he crouched on the floor, coming to sit by the brunettes head. He looked down at her peaceful form and allowed his eyes to roam over her body, taking in every inch of her. His eyes came into focus, in the next moment, on her hair, and his brows furrowed as he spotted blonde roots.

"Hmmm…"

"Anya? You're ok, im here" Thorin whispered and once again, looked over to check that no one was looking, and when it proved to be safe, the king under the mountain leant in and kissed the woman's head, breathing in her scent at the same time.

"Thorin?" She said in a whisper and opened her eyes, looking up at the dark hared dwarf. "Why is it so dark?"

"It is night-time" He commented with a chuckle and stroked one of his battel worn hands against the pale skin on Anya's cheek. "You have been asleep for some time."

"Im sorry. That means I've been extra baggage" She apologised.

"You have not. It was not your fault. We managed. How do you feel?"

"What, about finding out I died back home? Oh, I feel great" the sarcasm dripped from her mouth like venom from a snake as she slowly shuffled and came to a sitting position, resting her head on the shoulder of the dwarven king. Thorin panicked at the contact and his eyes shot to the company, watching them with fear, in case one was to glance over at them at that moment and notice the contact. Anya sighed and placed her hand over the males and turned her head, lifting it upward to place a kiss on Thorin's cheek.

"Anya, I do not think this to be suitable, given the situation" he spoke, shifting away from the woman uncharacteristically and watched the confusion in her eyes.

"They can't see us" She defended.

"They may chance a look toward us; we cannot risk it"

"Risk it? What if they do look and see; are you ashamed that I kissed you?" scoffed the brunette, now fully awake.

"No, of course not… but" Thorin defended himself and stood to his feet, looking down at the woman. "I think this is not something that should be displayed as of yet; we are on a quest after all. This relationship may… Anya, just, not yet" Anya's mouth dropped open in disbelief and turned her face from Thorin's. "Anya, can you not see why I am doing this?"

"No, not anymore I cant. Im tired; I think its best you leave me sleep" she said through gritted teeth and the majestic king felt a pang in his heart, looking at her with sympathetic and guilty eyes.

"Anya…."

"Go away Thorin" the son of Thrain sighed heavily and did not wait another moment and left the woman's side to join the others around the fire.


	11. Chapter 11

Thorin ate his cooked rabbit in silence, glaring into the blazing fire. He sneaked a glance over to Anya every few minuets and he exhaled through his nose loudly fully aware that she was not asleep judging by her movements and her lack of slow steady breathing. She was awake and she knew he would be chancing a look over at her. It was as if she wanted to infuriate him, he pondered as he watched the flames dance higher and higher. He could not understand why she could not see it from his point of view. He did not want this 'relationship' to become a stumbling block on the journey, and if it was aired in the company with everyone fully aware, then it would become a stumbling block. Not only would the company members protect Anya over themselves, as she would be deemed the 'kings partner', but their focus would be deterred and he could not have that. So why could Anya not see that? But, he could see from her perspective also. He was not ashamed that he had kissed her lovingly, or that for the first time in a long while he felt most of the weight on his shoulders disappear. He actually felt happy, so why should he not air that happiness with his friends? Oh, these thoughts rattled around the king's mind for many minuets whilst the company decided to take their leave to bed. The food was demolished in a heartbeat and there was not a single crumb to spare. Even the hobbit had had his fill. Thorin had agreed to take first watch with the wizard also, but his attention was not on the safety of the company, much to his shame; his thoughts were plagued of the woman who lay awake. Not being able to take much more of it, Thorin stood to his feet and tore his eyes away from the shining flames, regarding the wizard whom sat, looking at him with his pipe in his mouth. "I will be back momentarily. Will you be ok to keep watch in my absence?"

"Yes Thorin, I will be fine." Spoke the wizard nodding his head happily, watching the master dwarf disappear toward the boulders, and he grinned a knowing grin. Thorin trudged over a shrub that blocked his way to Anya's side and he dropped down heavily next to the woman and sighed loudly.

"I know you are awake Anya" He said through gritted teeth. Anya ignored him and turned away so that her back faced him, pulling her clock tightly over her body. "Do not ignore me Anya, I implore you" but again, no answer came and Thorin growled deep in his chest. Leaning forward the dwarf master gripped Anya's arms and pulled back so that she rolled onto her back awkwardly; her head inches from Thorin's thigh. She looked up at him with angered eyes and pushed on Thorin's legs so that she moved herself away from him. This agitated Thorin completely and he once more grabbed Anya's arm, but she squirmed in defiance. If anyone happened to walk past at that moment, It would appear a very childish fight between adults. Kicking her legs, glaring at the male, Anya caught Thorin's knees and yanked at his arm in an attempt to knock him off and push him away; but the outcome was less than expected. Thorin gasped and fell forward, his full boy weight landing on the woman. Anya coughed at the impact and her eyes were wide open as she looked at him in shock. Thorin moved his legs either side of Anya's and breathed heavily in surprise. Placing his hands on the ground either side of the brunettes head, he looked down at her, scanning her eyes; his long dark locks tickling her cheeks as they draped over his shoulders. "Why are you ignoring me? I have done nothing to gain such treatment"

"Get off me Thorin" She snarled back and the male looked at her in confusion as he took in her words and then realized fully that he was astride the young woman on the ground, pinning her in place. His first instinct was to move of course, but then, his tactical side shone through and her thought to put this position to good use.

"I will not, not until you speak to me in a civilized manner" came his reply.

"Oh, but what if the others see Thorin, see you on top of me like this? That won't do, will it?" She retorted with as much sarcasm as she could muster.

"You infuriate me, woman" Thorin Complained and his eyes beard down at her's with intense annoyance, but a hint of something else. Anya huffed and turned her face away; Thorin's hair ticking her cheeks as she did so. She tried not to smile at the feeling and bit the inside of her cheeks to make sure she didn't. Both were silent for a while with Thorin still hovering over her, his eyes never leaving her face, and with Anya looking away into the darkness of the trees.

"shouldn't you be on watch or something?" she finally caved in and broke the awkward silence.

"I am on watch" he simply stated with a tug on his mouth.

"not watching me, you idiot; the camp!" she hissed.

"I could have you punished for that tone if I so wished"

"don't let me stop you, go ahead, make my day"

"Anya, you cannot speak to me like that" Thorin said with a light chuckle and somewhat disbelief at her attitude towards him. Slowly she turned her face to his and scowled, but her eyes betrayed her and revealed humour in the situation. "will you speak with me now, civilly?"

"will you get off me?" she questioned in return, quirking up an eyebrow.

"will you speak?" he persisted, and leaned forward just an inch to appear more daunting but it had quite the opposite effect on her. Instead of feeling uncomfortable as Thorin had hoped she would feel, her cheeks deepened in colour and burned with ferocity. The brunette was thankful that the darkness of the night shielded her current predicament and she nodded with haste. Grinning, a sight quote rare for the royal dwarf, Thorin raised his leg and brought it over the woman's body so that it rested side by side next to his other. Sitting down on his backside, shuffling backwards so that his back rested against the boulder, the dark haired dwarf glanced down at the woman.

"so, what do you want to talk about?" she quipped as she followed Thorin's movements and sat beside him. The mighty dwarf was silent a moment and a puzzled expression covered his face and a grunt of disapproval left his mouth.

"you have infuriated me so much I have truly forgotten the reason as to why I wanted to speak with you" came his response. In all honesty, he had forgotten to start with. But when she cast him a smile in that moment, and when be remembered the reason for why she did not speak, he feared that another bout of silence or even arguments would take place, and so he chose to pretend it went from his memory.

Regarding her peaceful state, Thorin once more regarded the de colouring of her roots and his brow furrowed with confusion. "Anya, your hair is brown is it not?"

"your very observant Thorin" she chimed and grinned mischievously at the dark haired male.  
"then why are your roots a different colour?" his confused tone made him appear extremely cute and Anya could not suppress her giggle.

"I'm not a natural brunette. The different colour means the dye is coming out" she explained but it did not help the dwarf's confusion.

"so, you are not a brunette?" he inquired, staring at her hair in surprise.

"no Thorin, I'm naturally a blonde" she chuckled and smiled lovingly at the male. Thorin opened his mouth then closed it, repeating this action for some time.

"I- I do not understand, why would you change your appearance?"

"I didn't, just my hair colour. It's a popular thing back home. Sometimes girls even dye their hair pink or blue, or even multi-coloured. It's quite nice really"

"so, you are blonde then" she spoke, but not as a question, more of taking in the information with a smile. Anya nodded and shuffled a little closer.

"are you deterred by blondes?" she asked, glancing up at him, her nose almost touching his jaw line. Clearing his throat, Thorin moved his face downward so that his nose touched her's.

"quite the opposite really" he replied breathlessly, oblivious as to why he found the air around him lessening. Blinking slowly, parting her lips, the woman closed the distance and gently placed her lips against his. Thorin sighed, much louder than anticipated and leaned in, his lips pressing harder against her own, before breaking away instantly, unsure of whether to resume kissing her or to back away. Thorin gazed deeply into the woman's eyes and swallowed hard. "I cannot fathom why that wretched man would do such a thing to you." he whispered, resting his forehead against her's, breathing in her scent.

"yes well, I'd like to forget about it" she responded and closed her eyes, as If trying to block out the memories. Sighing, Thorin placed his battle worn hands on the woman's hips and gripped her, lifting her body with ease and slowly brought her across so that she sat on his lap; his legs extended straight forward. Anya placed a leg either side of his to straddle them, making her position much more comfortable, and looked straight into his icy blue eyes. "do you like me because you feel sorry for me?" she asked, placing her hands gently on his shoulders; her thumbs playing with strands of his hair that pooled on his shoulders.

"of course not. My feelings for you are based on my heart not sympathy. What you have endured is of course terrible and I would wish it on no one, but it is not the reason I harbour feelings of great intensity for you." spoke he, his eyes saddened and his posture slacking. Firmly he placed his hands on Anya's hips, holding her in place so that she could not squirm away from this conversation like he could see she so wished to do. "you confuse me. You ask me to tell the true reason why my heart aches for you, but when I speak of it, you fail to believe me. What can I do to prove my words honest? What will it take for you to realise that everything I say or do is to protect you and that... I do not plan on leaving you. It is not in a dwarf's nature to go back on their word. What I say stands. Do not forget that, woman" Anya smiled and leant forward, tucking the dark hair behind the dwarf's ear, avoiding his eyes all the while.

"is it common for a dwarf to fall for a human?" she asked, playing with the locks that were tucked behind his ear.

"normally? No. But it is not unheard of. When I was a young dwarf in Erebor, too young for princely duties, I would wander the market towns among the people and saw many a male dwarf with a loving female human on their arm, and vice versa. Our races mixed equally, be it through friendships or romance."

"but not since you moved to the blue mountains?"

"no, our kind and that of the humans, separated. We went our own way. It was a solemn sight to whiteness indeed. Many a dwarf had loved ones in the human race, but their duty was to their kin, and so, they separated. My late brother was one among those to lose a loved one through separation. He was engaged to be married to a young human named Drallia. The attack on Erebor and the death toll was too much for her family to bear and so they left in the direction of Gondor with hopes of settling with distant relatives there. That was the last time Frerin saw Drallia. And that was the last time I saw my young brother smile... Life has been cruel to this family, until now Anya. You bring hope to my life that I never thought possible to have. My brother's chance was taken from him, but I have a chance to live out mine, with you. And I would do so, if you will have me at your side?"

"what- what do you mean?"

"will you court me Anya? Publically?"

"you want the others to know?"

"yes, I would have the whole world know of my feelings for you if it were possible. Say yes to me and I will show you a love that to have yet to experience among my peoples. Our kind takes things of this... Delicacy with great honour and pride."

"Uh, y-yes, yes of course" she stuttered and looked into his face with great happiness. Thorin grinned and lifted his hips, causing Anya to fall forward against his. Quickly he took her face in his large hands and placed his lips against her own in a frantic dance.

"Thorin, are you going to join me?" an annoyed voice suddenly echoed in the darkness and a tall, dark figure appeared and cleared its throat with a slight chuckle at the image displayed before him. Thorin's eyes snapped open and pulled away from the blushing woman, and looked up at the old man looking down at him. Anya buried her face in the crook of Thorin's neck in embarrassment and the dwarf king tried to look as regal as he possibly could. "Ahh Anya, well, as you are both awake, I will take this opportunity to have an early nap. I do not suppose you will mind taking over from me will you my dear?" Gandalf spoke with humour in his voice. Anya just nodded in agreement and felt the kind under the mountain shuffle underneath her.

"I will trust that you will not speak of what you have seen to the others until we see fit to do so, wizard" Thorin warned, moving Anya from his lap in a hurry.

"I will not utter a word Thorin, rest assured. It is not my business what goes on between you both." Replied the old man, waiting for the dwarf to stand to his feet along with Anya, so that he could take their place on the ground. Anya blushed as she grabbed Thorin's hand, leading him away from the grinning wizard to where he had previously sat on watch. Silently they sat beside one another, too afraid to speak because of embarrassment, watching the moon sparkle in the deep darkness of the night.

…..

"Ere lads, is it me or is our king blushing?" Bofur tiptoed up to the brothers of Durin whom sat, eating merrily in front of a newly built fire. Fili and Kili snapped up their young head and glanced across the company at a pink faced Uncle speaking with Gandalf the wizard and the young woman they had come to know as a friend. Raising his blonde eyebrow in surprise at never seeing such a colour dashed over his relatives cheek, Fili glanced at his brother, whom also had the same expression displayed on his face.

"I- I believe he is" Kili spoke slowly and watched as Anya tucked her hair behind her ears and look up at his uncle with a different sort of glint in her eyes. "What do you suppose they are talking about?"

"Well, whatever is being said, it's got the lads intrigued. They are all watching" Bofur chimed in once more and indicated to the crowd watching the three in the distance talking quietly. Anya spotted such behaviour and turned to face Thorin. Fili presumed she had mentioned this to him, as in that second he glanced over at his men and gave a smile.

"Did Thorin just smile?" Fili heard Nori whisper to his brother, followed by several chuckles.

"Shhh…" Another dwarf whispered "…He's coming"

"Good morning men…" Thorin began as he approached them, his arms folded behind his back. Anya followed just behind, next to the wizard and looked everywhere but the dwarves before her. the company found this behaviour rather strange, but kept silent and their eyes on their leader, waiting for him to resume him impending speech; on what, they did not know, and shouldn't like to guess either. "… there is something which I wish to discuss with you all before we depart to the home of Beorn. I would ask that you respect my words and what you are being told and that none of the persons mentioned will be treated any differently. For some time, unbeknownst to you all, I have feelings, of which have been shared with young Anya here. It is our intention to court. I deem it wise to tell you, as you all deserve to know of the relationship that resides between us as we are all on this quest together. I would also like to point out however, that although I am courting her, she is still part of this company and will be treated as such, without any 'special treatment'…"

"About time Laddie!" Balin suddenly chuckled, stepping out from behind his brother into the view of his king and friend. Thorin glanced, confused at the white haired dwarf, and crossed his arms across his chest.

"I beg your pardon?" He spoke, his tone filled with confusion.

"Thorin, most of us here had an inkling something was developing between you both. You need not be embarrassed about the situation. We are happy for you. I am happy for you" Balin responded. Thorin smiled thankfully and nodded his head to his friend and company.

"Is that all you wanted to say Thorin? I thought something was wrong; as if we were under attack of some sort" Dwalin spoke up and turned his back with a smile, gathering his bag and hammer. "Are we off?" Thorin was taken by surprise by the reaction of all his comrades expecting… well actually, he did not know what he was expecting… but perhaps more of a reaction. Chuckling to himself at his unnecessary worry, the king looked upon his nephews, a sudden dread filling him as he remembered his eldest nephew's feelings for Anya. He expected Fili to look upon him with utter hatred, or not even be stood there at all, but instead, the blond heir to the throne of Erebor stared directly into the eyes of his mother's-brother with such love and happiness it caused the dark haired dwarfs eyes to water. Slowly Fili and Kili approached and both patted their uncle's arm gleefully.

"Fili- I" Thorin began.

"Uncle, don't; I am so very happy for you both." Fili interrupted.

"Indeed, as am I. I do not think I have ever seen or heard about my uncle in a relationship. What excitement this will bring!" Kili exclaimed and Thorin grinned at him greatly.

"Thank you both. It means more to me to have your approval on this matter than that of the others." Thorin admitted, shocking the boys at their uncle's honesty.

"We will support you and follow any of your decisions Uncle, do not doubt that" Fili reassured.

"I doubt neither of you, fear not. You both mean more to me than the skin on my own back" Thorin commented and the boys eyes began to water and they grinned at each other very child-like. "Come, enough of this emotional rubbish…" He chuckled deeply to his nephews "… It is time we are should be off. It seems Dwalin has already led half the company away, including Anya. We should take that as our leave" Fili and Kili nodded and followed as Thorin turned away from his family members and led them towards the others.

…..

"We would reached the boarder of Beorn's home by nightfall" Gandalf announced, surveying the surrounding area and a collective sigh of relief sounded as their camp disappeared in the distance as they continued their journey.


	12. Chapter 12

"I am happy for you laddie. It's about time you settled down; you're not getting any younger" Balin spoke happily, coming to the side of the king whom was walking toward the back, keeping a watchful eye on his men and the dear hobbit and woman. Normally he would take to the front and lead the company through the foreign terrain, but this day he sought to watch the company rather than lead; his aches and pains more persistent. Slowly Thorin pulled his attention away from the chattering group and turned his head to the side, regarding his old friend and adviser. Snorting at his comment, a grin broke out on the dwarfs face. "I am, however, surprised"

"oh, and why is they, pray tell?" inquired the son of Thrain.

"If I remember rightly, master Oakenshield, it was the wee lasses with golden hair that grasped your attention, not ones with colour almost as dark as the night. What has changed your preference?"

"My preference has not changed; she has golden hair"

"do your eyes see something that we do not; Anya's hair is clearly brown Thorin"

"at the moment, agreed; but I was informed that it is merely 'dye' upon her locks. She is indeed a blonde" explained the younger one of the two. Humming happily at this new found information, Balin regarded his friend and king once more. Thorin was aware of this and could not suppress a light chuckle. "What else plagues your mind master Balin?"

"your wounds; what did the wizard say of them? You have not uttered a word about it since Gandalf took you from the camp."

"you worry too much dear dwarf. I am well"

"I am allowed to be concerned of the welfare of my king... And friend, Thorin. I did not ask if you were well, I asked what the wizard said; please answer me. Do not let an old dwarf worry needlessly if the case be"

"oh Balin..." Thorin tutted with a shake of his head and pulled his eyes away from him, glancing over at the company before them. "I have bruising, as to be expected, and a possible fractured rib or so. Apart from that, I am right as rain. I will heal; I am already feeling much like myself since the wizard poked and prodded me with salves and such."

"you still walk slow" muttered Balin, not satisfied with the dwarf kings answer.

"better me walk slow than not at all, master dwarf. Come now, this chattering away has pulled us back further than intended; we will lose sight of them, if not careful. And I think it a wise thing to keep those nephews of mine in my line of sight. Durin knows what mischief they would get themselves into if I were not there to stop it" Thorin chuckled and begrudgingly picked up the pace.

"you have been good to those lads, Thorin, as if they were your own sons" Balin complimented and tapped Thorin's arm with a smile.

"I see them as my own; they may not realise it, or feel it, but I do. I care for them greatly." Thorin responded, eyeing the back or Fili and kili's head.

"aye laddie, I'm sure they know, and they feel the same toward you" Balin answered and picked up the pace, both now walking in pleasant silence.

0~0

"you both kept that quiet" Bilbo spoke, glancing up at the woman with a cheerful expression, wanting to speak to someone about anything other than food, or sleep, or fighting. Anya stared down at the curly haired Halfling and regarded his pleasantly plump features and glowing smile; a very happy creature indeed. If ever she was to be left alone In a room with any species, she would be sure to choose that of a hobbit. Their friendly and approachable nature made every awkward moment between her and the company, something to be enjoyed.

"it would have been kept quiet a little longer if Thorin had not decided to tell everyone this morning" she replied.

"oh..." Bilbo was confused by her answer and looked to the floor in disappointment. "... I am... Happy for you both though"

"thanks Bilbo. It feels strange saying that I'm dating a dwarf. I'd never say such a thing back where I'm from. There is no such thing as a dwarf or a hobbit. It seems a bit surreal" Anya spoke, scratching her arm, as she normally did when things made her feel uncomfortable.

"I expect it does. But this concept of a fresh beginning must be exciting?"

"well, yes, I suppose. I never really thought about it" she replied honestly, shrugging her shoulders.

"well I for one am happy; it is the first time I have seen a joyful Thorin, even if it was just a few moments at least" Bilbo answered playfully and the woman chuckled, her mood lifting with thanks to the Halfling.

0~0

"are you truthfully happy for uncle? I only ask because you did harbour great feelings for her when first our paths crossed" Kili whispered to his golden brother, the heir to the throne of Erebor.

"it was merely a childhood crush, Kili, nothing more. I am content with how things have panned out, and it is high time uncle found a companion. If it is still strong, their relationship, in time to come, we may even hear of wedding bells or that of a child to come. You never know" Fili retorted, grinning at his younger brother.

"that would be most amusing. To have a cousin! I would pay anything to see uncle as a father... He would make a good one indeed. He's done a good job with us... I think anyway!" chuckled Kili, slapping Fili on the back in amusement.

"aye, that he has! I don't think it's wise brother to keep talking about Thorin in such a manner, what with that nosy lot behind us"

"agreed! I am so very looking forward to resting and feasting at this 'beorns' residence. We deserve as much Fili"

"that we do brother, that we do"

0~0

"Ori for goodness sake, you cannot write and walk at the same time. Put that blasted book away!" Nori scolded his younger brother, eyeing him and he fumbled when he walked; his face stuck in his book and his quill speedily covering the page. The young dwarf glanced up with such a melancholy expression that made Nori almost guilty at the tone in which he had addressed his brother. "you know I make sense. You could fall down a hole and would not even notice it approaching. I only badger you because I care for your safety. Put that darn book away, now"

"oh silence Nori; you are giving my poor head a headache. Leave the little one alone" Dori snapped at his younger brother.

"do you wish to see him harmed then Dori? You may be the eldest but by Durin, you are far from the smartest" Nori growled.

"how- that was uncalled for Nori. I am merely pointing out that you do not have to be on his case every moment of the day. Agreed, he is the least experienced of the lot and is prone to accidents, but leave him have his moment of happiness when all is safe around him"

"I am here, and can hear every word you are saying-" Ori interrupted and begrudgingly shoved his book and quill into his bag, sighing as he did so.

"there's a good lad" Nori praised his decision but felt his eldest brother glare at him from behind. "oh hush yourself you pestering dwarf" he addressed Dori and the grey haired dwarf 'humphed' and stormed off toward the Durin brothers.

"you should not test Dori so, he is still the eldest" Ori quipped to his brother. Nori smiled at his sibling and placed an arm around his shoulder.

"aye perhaps, but he smothers you as If he were our mother. Ori, you understand that what I said to you was out of concern for your safety, don't you?"

"yes, yes of course."

"good; I do care Ori, despite what Dori's opinions on me are, I do care" Nori spoke, almost bitterly.

"I know that brother. I know you care" Ori said lovingly and Nori places his forehead against his younger brothers; an act of loyalty, love and friendship that the dwarven race took too greatly.

0~0

"if you mention rest or food again Bombur I will roll you down that hill and leave you for the Wargs; you are not the only dwarf here to want rest and a good meal." Bofur said to his bulbous brother, his brow furrowing in annoyance.

"but Bofur, My extra weight means I NEED extra" the Ginger dwarf whined. Bifur looked between his bickering cousins and rolled his eyes. Raising his arms, the dwarf signalled to Bofur a sentence in old kuzdhul along with a series of grunts and facial expressions. Bofur chuckled and nodded.

"agreed Bifur, he should lose some weight"

"it's not in a dwarfs nature to be thin" Bombur argued, his cheeks flushed from exhaustion.

"nor is it in our nature to need to breath every few seconds due to lack of energy. You might find it quite beneficial brother" Bofur retorted, looking at his large sibling with amusement and the actions which Bifur was displaying toward his cousin.

0~0

"I should have brought Gimli along" Gloin grumbled, eyeing his brother with the horn in his ear.

"he is too young a lad to come on such adventures, you know this" Oin retorted.

"indeed, your brother speaks wise words master dwarf" Gandalf joined the conversation between the two of them. Gloin grunted and his eyes fell upon Ori and those of the dwarf princes.

"he is merely a few years younger than the lads up ahead." Gloin complained.

"two decades is not just few years younger brother, he is still deemed a child. Give him another decade or so, then he will be old enough to join on such quests" Oin replied, noticing the longing in his siblings eyes.

"Gimli is safe and sound with him mother in the blue mountains Gloin, do not fear" Gandalf reassured.

"never have I been separated from my son for such a long time... It is a horrid feeling that plagues me" Gloin answered.

"yer lad is strong; he'll keep that woman of yours on her feet. I bet he barely notices your absence" came Dwalin as he also entered the conversation.

"hmm" was all Gloin said, clearly not enthusiastic about the idea of his son oblivious to his absence? It did not settle well with him in the slightest.

0~0

"he should reach the border of beorns residence by nightfall..." Gandalf chimed happily as he gazed at the surroundings. "... I recommend we take a rest for a short while"

"indeed, my poor legs need a rest" Balin agreed and dropped his bag and axe to the floor with a great sigh causing the company to chuckle. Thorin was thankful in that moment and took to a stone on the grass, plonking himself down ungracefully, tossing his own baggage to the floor. Closing his eyes, Thorin breathed in the fresh air and leant back onto his hands. He could hear bags drop on the ground with weapons not far behind, and many sighing of relief and banter. It seemed that it was not only he whom needed a rest. The kit found himself thinking about the approaching home of this friend of Gandalf; a warm, soft bed, a hearty meal and decent drink... A hot bath... All enjoyable without the worry of something attacking. His imagination ran wild with him in that moment. He envisaged himself enveloped in scented hot water, soaking away the aches and dirt. Then images of him with a full stomach lying down on a comfortable bed with a feather pillow crossed his mind. Suddenly, out of the blue, Anya came into his mind. She led beside him on that comfortable bed, her head resting on his clean chest. She slept soundly; her hair now golden, no longer brown. Feeling his cheeks warm up from the day dreaming, Thorin opened his eyes and pushed back up into a sitting position, glancing over at the oblivious company. Anya, however, sat on the ground opposite him, watching him with warm eyes. Thorin gave a small smile and nodded his head towards her in recognition. Anya grinned and blushed, looking to her side away from his gaze. Chuckling to himself, the son of Thrain looked towards his nephews and watched them tease the young master hobbit as they usually did; mocking his height and that of his fury feet with playfulness. All seemed peaceful, something which Thorin was glad to whiteness; he may sound selfish, but he wanted nothing more than to leave them for a moment and rest his head, but, of course, he thought against it. Kili then rose to his feet, chuckling, and left his brothers side, looking toward his watching uncle. He lovingly smiled at Thorin, but that soon faded when his eyes went wide. Thorin sat on the edge of the stone in an instant, wondering what caught his nephew's attention so, and in turn the company silenced at the reaction of their leader. Kili grabbed his neck with a great gasp and instantly fell to the floor in a heap.

"Kili!" Thorin gasped and stood up, rushing as fast as he could to his unconscious nephew on the ground. "kill!" Fili rushed to his brother's aid and looked worriedly up at his uncle's face. Thorin ignored Fili and placed his hands on his youngest nephews face, turning his face towards his, and then he spotted it. A thin tube protruded from kili's neck. It was brown in colour and a few inches long. Carefully, Thorin pulled it out of kili's neck and held it up to the light to examine it.

"I have seen those before in movies" Anya exclaimed and all looked toward the woman with utter confusion. "Uh... It's some sort of drug... It knocks you out. No damage, just knock you unconscious"

"so he is ok?" Fili asked her, hopeful, but Anya shrugged her shoulders honestly. It might be a different thing in this world. "who could have shot it?" he accused, glancing around at everyone, but all were innocent. As if answering the blonde dwarf, a group of Orcs emerged from nearby trees and stalked toward the company, snarling and bearing their weapons.

"take up arms" Thorin called venomously "Anya, Bilbo, guard Kili!" slowly he stood to his feet, ignoring the burning sensation and pain that wracked his sides. Dwalin rushes over to Thorin's bags, aware of the king's struggles, and grabbed orcrist before rushing back to him and handing him the sword. Thorin took it and stalked toward the enemy, glaring at the foul beasts. Nori and Bofur hand run up ahead, already attacking the beasts with their weapons. The others fell in suit and yelled in attack. Anya watched in horror at the foul creatures approaching with great speed. There were six, and although that may seem no match against 13 dwarves and a wizard in most cases, now it was something to be weary of, what with injured and tired dwarves. "Fili!" Thorin warned his heir as he thrashed his sword manically at the Orcs. "Fili, back away now!" Fili snarled and did as he was told, stepping backward, allowing Dwalin to take his position. The tattooed dwarf swung his axe at the offending beast and cleanly knocked off its head; black blood spurting along the green grass. "come together!" Thorin ordered his men, and each dwarf came closer to their king so they now faced the remaining 5 Orcs in a group. "steady yourselves..." he commanded, glancing at his men and the wizard whom had taken to staring behind them, checking over the young dwarf upon the floor. "charge!" he yelled and the dwarves ran forward, Nori swung his weapon with great strength and the studs on the end of it embedded themselves in a nearby Orcs face, sending is hurling to the ground. Thorin eyed a rather fat Orc and thrust orcrist forward with as much power as he could muster straight into its stomach. As he pulled his sword back, the innards of the foul creature spewed out on the ground, pooling into a circle of blackened guts. Eventually, after much fighting and yelling the last Orc crumpled to the ground, headless. They had been defeated though it was not simple task give. Their state. Breathing heavily, Thorin checked his men over thoroughly before turning his gaze to his nephew. "has he moved?" he inquired of the hobbit, approaching him.

"he is stirring. His pulse is normal as is his breathing. I think what Anya said was true; he was merely knocked out and will survive" answered the hobbit. Sighing with relief, Thorin glanced up at Anya, his expression asking her if she was ok. Anya nodded and looked back down to the young male.

"we can stay here no longer. These Orcs will have scouts; we must move if we wish to stay hidden from such a threat" Gandalf spoke, stepping forward.

"we cannot move until Kili wakes; no one has the strength here to carry their load as well as him." Thorin retorted, annoyed at the wizard for saying such a thing.

"nor can we wait for another attack; agreed, not one of you have the strength. You need rest and by leaving now you will get it" answered the grey haired wizard.

"how do you suppose we carry him th-"

"Thorin?" Kili suddenly spoke, his left hand holding his head and his eyes barely open as he looked up at his frustrated uncle. He wondered what was going on. The fact that he was lying on the floor answered his question about whom the wizard and his uncle were talking about. Slowly he sat up and looked around, delirious at the members of the company. Thorin looked down at his youngest nephew and smiled greatly on seeing him up and somewhat ok.

"I believe that answered your question Thorin" Gandalf spoke, watching as Kili, with the help of Bilbo and Anya, was pulled to his feet. The king under the yet-to-be-reclaimed mountain ignored the elderly man and approached the dark haired male, holding his arm with one hand, and inspecting his neck with the other. Not a mark was left on his skin, which Thorin was thankful of, and which also meant that the likelihood of poison was very slim.

"How do you feel?" He asked softly; a tone that almost all of the company only now had the privilege to hear.

"Like I have had a rough night's sleep" Kili answered and the son of Thrain chuckled, cupping his hand on his cheek.

"But you are well?"

"I am well Uncle" Kili confirmed with a cheeky smile.

"Are we all in agreement in leaving now?" Nori inquired and Thorin nodded, his eyes never leaving Kili's. Kili reassured his uncle that he was well as the others were busy gathering their items and piling the carcases of the Orcs before Gandalf set fire to them. Satisfied with Kili's answer, Thorin turned to Fili, silently apologising to his heir for the way in which he spoke to him during the fight, and for the reason that he did not allow Fili to kill the offending orc. Fili brushed it off as mere concern and tapped master Oakenshield arm in reassurance.

0~0

Slowly they embarked on their journey once more, sluggishly, as to be expected. thinking Over the past events with the goblins, then Azog and his Wargs and now with the Orcs, Thorin felt compelled to watch his family and Anya with an even closer eye. He was a strong leader, had fought many wars and was whiteness to many evil and tragic things, but for some reason this latest attack shook him up; seeing Kili on the floor unconscious, Anya's face filled with terror and Fili almost hurt, it worried him greatly. He did not, of course, air or display his concerns; he was very talented about keeping up barriers to his emotions. Anya slowly came up to his side and looked at him with a concerned expression; it was clearly evident that something was plaguing his mind. "Are you ok?" She asked quietly.

"Yes, yes I am fine. How are you? We have not seen each other much this day." Thorin answered, exhaling, glancing over at his new partner.

"Im cool. I know, maybe we can spend some time together tonight at his lads place?" she answered and the regal dwarf chuckled at the way she spoke; even if someone did not believe it by looking at her, they would truly believe she was from another place by the way she spoke.

"I like the sound of that, but I must admit, a warm bath is more appealing at this current moment"

"I agree; but you lot don't have shampoo, so I'll just have to make do"

"Shampoo?" Thorin questioned, rolling the foreign word on his tongue.

"It's like soap in a bottle, but it lathers up when you scrub it into your hair" She explained and the confusion lessened on the master dwarfs face.

"You come from a strange world indeed" Was his only comment and he glanced up suddenly as he realized his company were coming to a halt. "What is wrong?"

"It seems that in my old age, I has misjudged the distance to the home of Beorn. We have reached here sooner than intended…" Gandalf began, smiling happily as he pointed to a narrow pathway that was practically hidden by overgrown shrubs and trees. "I think it best to go two at a time. Beorn is not aware of our presence and to enter all at once, it would startle him, and believe me; you do not want a startled Beorn on your case. I shall enter first with master Baggins. Dwalin, Balin, you enter second. Then should come Kili and Fili. Dori and Ori. Nori and Bofur. Oin and Gloin. Bifur and Bombur, although you master dwarf would class as two, and last but not least Thorin and of course Anya. Wait a few minutes after each departure."

"That seems fair" Thorin agreed, looking around at his men. "Alright, pair up"

"We shall see you momentarily" Gandalf spoke to all, and ushered the small hobbit with him toward the hidden path.

0~0

As Gandalf and Bilbo appeared on the other side of the hidden pathway, they came into an open area that was strangely large in the hobbits opinion. There before them stood an overly large home and stabled housing many a mare. The land was green and fertile, that was obvious. First and foremost, it appeared secure. Suddenly the door to the large home burst open and a large man with a thick black beard and hair, and bare arms and legs walked towards them, making Bilbo feel even more smaller than he thought possible. The man looked upon the Halfling with a grimace before his eyes fell upon that of the wizards. "Ah, Gandalf, well this is a surprise! What can I do you and the Halfling for?" He spoke, his voice gruff. And so Gandalf explained the whole situation to the shape-shifter, expertly missing out the 'reclaiming of Erebor' and stated that his company were in need of a safe night's sleep, feeding and perhaps some tending of wounds. The shape-shifter agreed to the wizard as a favour to him, having known him for many a year. Slowly the pairs of dwarfs emerged, two by two, just as Gandalf had advised. Finally, Thorin and Anya emerged and Beorn looked wide eyed at the woman, and Gandalf then realized he forgot to mention the new addition of the company; that of a woman. "Well, this is a treat! What is your name lady?" Anya swallowed hard, looking up at the giant man and experienced a short bout of vertigo.

"It's- my name is Anya" She fumbled over her words.

"Pleasure to meet you…" Began Beorn "… I would know whom the rest of you are before I entertain you within the four walls of my home" He addressed the others with intrigue.

"I am Thorin, son of Thrain, son of Thror, King under the mountain" Thorin began, nodding to the large being. "… And these are Fili and Kili, my sister-sons" he indicated to the two young dwarfs.

"I am Balin and this is my brother Dwalin… at your service" The white bearded dwarf spoke and both bowed.

"I am Gloin…"

"And I am Oin, at your service!"

"I am Bofur, and this is my brother Bombur and cousin Bifur… at your service!"

"I am Dori, oldest brother of Nori and Ori here, at your service"

"And I, am Beorn, welcome master dwarves, Hobbit and Lady. Far too long it has been since I entertained this many in my home and such a variety of races too. Come, let me feed you well and provide you with a warm bed to sleep in. it seems you are all much deserved of it indeed" Beorn replied and walked towards him home, the dwarves in tow.

0~0

Merrily the dwarves sat around a very large table, enjoying the hospitality of Beorn. Meats and vegetables and sweet things were spread across the slab of wood. Gandalf took to speaking quietly with the shape-shifter in another room, away from the others, and the Hobbit was almost asleep as he ate his fair share of the wondrous food provided. On the walls of the dining room were magnificent carved animals with great detail. All around everything was larger than usual and it reminded Anya of the child's story of the giants in 'Jack and the beanstalk'. Speaking of she, Anya sat in a wooden chair, watching the others with happiness; she had never seen them so merry and red cheeked from the consumption of alcohol. She had eaten little, nor drank a lot, but she was content…and also tired. "You seem quiet" Thorin spoke, breaking her out of her thoughts. She turned to the side and glanced up at the majestic male, whom held a mug of bitter in his hand, and looked at him with weary eyes.

"Im tired" Was her reply.

"As am I…" Thorin agreed. "… Perhaps we should inquire as to our accommodation for this evening" Thorin placed down his mug and looked around the room, trying to spot the host. As if on cue, Beorn entered the room with Gandalf at his side and immediately caught the dwarf kings eyes.

"Is all well, Thorin son of Thrain?" He questioned, stepping toward him.

"Indeed, you have been more that generous to my company and I; I was wondering as to where my men and I will sleep this night. Some of us are quite eager to rest our heads now, than later" Thorin spoke, standing to his feet, and the company silenced, curious as to what was being said.

"What a coincidence, that is the matter in which I wished to discuss this moment. I have, in my home, eight rooms to put you up for the evening. As it is, altogether there are sixteen of you. Gandalf here has informed me that you are not against sharing with one another, so I would suggest you all take a room in the pairs you came. Unless you object, of course" Beorn spoke.

"That seems sensible" Thorin spoke, and glanced over at him men, watching them nod their heads in agreement. Yes, some would be sharing outside of their families, but all were just content with the idea of sleeping soundly.

"Oh…" Beorn suddenly spoke and Thorin looked back at him with his brow furrowed and noticed his line of sight was focused on Anya. "… You may take my room if you so wish, lady"

"There is no need" Gandalf interrupted and took a step forward. He knew he might be stepping over a line at this moment, but he currently cared not for what Thorin thought; he was too eager to rest his head. "Miss Anya here and Master Oakenshield are currently courting; I do not see any disagreements" As if on cue, Thorin glared at the wizard and felt the eyes of the company land on the back of his head. The thought of their master sharing a room with a woman caused silent gossip between them all.

"I will be accommodation to whatever Anya decides" Thorin spoke, clearly not happy.

"Uh, I'll share its fine. You keep your bed" Anya replied, blushing, looking at the floor.

"Well, all is settled then, allow me to show you all the way to your rooms before I depart. I would ask, however, that you not leave this home tonight. I would have you stay inside" Beorn replied and all nodded in agreement. Silently the shape-shifter led the company from the dining room, much to bombur's disappointment, toward the sleeping area…


	13. Chapter 13

"There's only one bed" was the first thing Anya said as she entered the room with Thorin once the host carried on down the corridor to the other rooms. Thorin eyed the fairly large space curiously, but no sooner did Anya speak did his eyes fall upon the bed in question. It was a double bed, so clearly large enough for the both of them, but it seemed to have worried Anya somewhat.

"I will take the floor if you are uncomfortable by this" Thorin spoke as gently as he possibly could, regarding the blushing female. Why was she blushing? He pondered for a moment.

"No, no, it's fine, we can share" she Fumbled over her words and dropped her bag onto the floorboards, looking around in awe at the uniquely carved walls and beams. Thorin admired that sparkle in her eye for a split second until something caught the side of his eye. Turning to face it, the master dwarf spotted a door in the room and walked towards it, curious but also hopeful that this may lead to some sort of cleaning area. As he pushed open the heavy, tall door, the dwarf's eyes fell upon a large, metal tub in the centre of a fairly large room and he could not suppress the grin that covered his face. "Looks like your wish came true" a feminine voice sounded in his ear and the king was suddenly aware of Anya standing very closely behind him, looking also into the en suit.

"Indeed. As much as I am inclined to rest my head, the temptation for a bath is very much overwhelming. If you are content with taking to the bed to sleep, I think I may leave you now and wash. That is of course if you do not wish to use it. If you do, then you may go before me, I do not mind"

"I'll go after you, Thorin. I'll try and get some sleep while you're in there" she answered and smiled as she walked toward the large bed. Thorin did not ask twice. Stepping into the wash area, Thorin closed the door behind himself and quickly took to stripping away his numerous layers; tossing them idly on the floor, until finely he stood in naught but his under garments. The function of this wash basin was somewhat confusing to the regal dwarf as he looked upon the several pipes attached to it, and found that it was a design very much estranged to that of the dwarves make. Thorin reached out and turned what appeared to be a tap and water gushed through, splashing into the tub below. Dwarves had baths, of course, but they filled their tubs and basins manually. Of course, they could use taps and such, but they found everything much more fulfilling if they did it themselves. Thorin watched the water level slowly rise and a layer of steam hover over the water. A sparkle shone in the room and Thorin glanced up and spotted a mirror on the wall, highlighted by rays from the risen moon that had made itself known in the night sky. Walking toward it, Thorin looked at his reflection and sighed at the sight. His face was scratched and cut, his eyes were dark and tired, and a smudges of dirt covered his pale skin. He was a mess and not at all how a king should look. Shaking his head with disappointment, he turned away from his reflection and made his way back to the tub, satisfied that there was ample water. Pulling off his tunic and finally his breeches, the bare dwarf king stepped into the bath and slowly sunk down until he sat in the refreshing warmth of the water. Sighing rather loudly at the contact of the water messaging his aching limbs, Thorin closed his eyes and rested his head backward against the edge, with his arms hoisted up on either side of the tub. The water embraced his tired skin and after a few moments of sitting still, the male sank down into the tub, plunging his whole body underneath the water so that his hair was submerged and soaked until clean. Holding his breath, Thorin raked his hands through his hair under the water, a feeling he sorely missed. Unable to hold it much longer, Thorin re-emerged and took a gasp of air. Anya heard the gasp, mistaking it for pain and got up from the bed where she unsuccessfully tried to sleep and knocked on the door. "Thorin, are you ok?"

"I am fine" he sounded back, leaning forward to stretch the aching muscles of his back. The water had begun to cool quickly and the leader of the company sighed in sadness, his hands moving about in the water, scooping it up and pouring it upon his body. Anya accepted his answer and moved away from the door and was met with a knock on the other. Gliding over to the door with some grace, Anya slowly opened it and found herself looking up once more at the large host.

"My apologies for disturbing you, but with what I could gather you were all in need of some fresh clothing. I have fished out enough for each member of the company. I'm afraid they may be a bit big for you and your- for Thorin, but they will suffice. If you leave your current garments outside the door this evening, I shall collect them and wash them for you both..." Beorn spoke and handed the woman a pile of clothes. Anya took them and smiled up at the male.

"Thank you very much. I will let Thorin know" she replied. Beorn nodded and grinned at her, a sparkle of something in his eyes.

"Enjoy your evening, lady" he spoke and left the doorway, to walk down the corridor and out of sight. Shrugging her shoulders, Anya turned around, her arms full, and tapped the door shut with her foot, before walking to the bed to place the clothes down.

"Thorin?" she called through the wash room door. The dwarf grunted in response and the sound of him fumbling out of the bath was heard. "Beorn has given us fresh clothes to wear for this evening so that he may clean our current ones this evening ready for the morning. Shall I place them outside the door so you can grab them? I won't look"

"that would be kind of you, yes please" Thorin answered. Anya grinned and picked up a pair of breeches and a large shirt and placed them at the foot of the wash room door, before looking away in the opposite direction.

"Ok, ready" she announced. Thorin slowly opened the door, the wood covering his bareness, and be bent down, reaching for the clothes; his cheeks suddenly flush with embarrassment. He was thankful Anya was looking away as his current expression and predicament was far from kingly. With the clothes in his arms, Thorin quickly withdrew and shut the door. Inside, the dwarf pulled on the slightly baggy breeches and the large shirt, and checked himself over in the mirror before pulling the plug in the wash tub and exiting the room. The female turned around and looked at the dwarf and could not help but gaze at him with wide eyes and an open mouth. Thorin frowned and looked down at himself, wondering what exactly she was looking at.

"What is it?" he asked, his arms folded across his chest.

"Nothing... It's just I haven't seen you so..."

"Clean?" Thorin quipped and Anya chuckled, shaking her head.

"No, no, I haven't seen you so... Relaxed and without your layers of armour. That's a good look" she said, eyeing his wet locks clinging to the White shirt, and his pale face clear of dirt and dried blood. Thorin suddenly felt self-aware, never being told such a thing. The good thing about armour was not just the physical protection but the emotional protection; hiding behind as a form of a barrier. Currently, that was stripped away, and he was laid bare for Anya to see, and it sort of made him feel uncomfortable in his skin, like he should suddenly be angry or stern to make up for his lost camouflage of hidden emotions. All he could come up with was a simple grunt, and he strode over to the bed with some haste. "Well Uh, I'm going to have a bath now..." Anya spoke, clearing her throat as she watched Thorin climb onto the bed and lean against the headboard, staring at her. Picking up just the shirt, Anya made her way over to the wash room door.

"You forgot the breeches" Thorin stated, watching her intently.

"They will be too big for me, they will fall off. There is no point wearing them" she answered, glancing over her shoulders at him.

"You are just going to wear the shirt?" he asked incredulously.

"It's long enough to cover half of my bottom half" Anya argued, and watched Thorin swallow and she wondered why he did so.

"As you wish. I have left my clothes in the washroom until after you have washed; then I shall take them outside" he spoke, feeling the need to explain himself but Anya merely shrugged her shoulders and entered the room, closing the door after her.

o.o.o.

And so Anya repeated Thorin's actions and filled the tub, got in, washed herself, got out, and placed the shirt on until she too came to halt in front of the mirror and looked at her reflection. She had lost weight; that was the first thing she noticed. Her face was thinner and her eyes slightly darker. This was the first time she had seen herself since the day she fell... No, since the day she was pushed off the cliff. Her roots were indeed showing, and her hair had grown at least another two inches. But she was content with her appearance. Sighing, Anya glanced down at the surface below the mirror and found a large key on a chain. Picking it up, Anya stared at its craftsmanship and was in awe; it was an old key, which she could tell. Putting it in her hand and closing her fingers around it, Anya left the room, feeling clean and refreshed. As she entered the sleeping area, Anya became very much aware of her exposed legs and tried not to think on it too much as she approached the male on the bed. Thorin could not help himself looking her up and down and felt that recently familiar heat rise up in his cheeks. "I found this, I guess it's yours" she spoke, Opening her hand and dangling the key in front of Thorin's face. Thorin reached out and took hold of the key, and placed the chain around his neck.

"Thank you" he breathed and looked her deep in the eyes, but her gaze was focused on the key.

"What does it open?" she inquired.

"What?" Thorin questioned, taken by surprise, his eyes never leaving her face.

"the key; what does it open?"

"It opens a door to my home; Erebor. It was my fathers and has been passed down to me"

"oh, cool..." she replied, smiling, and turned from the bed, walking back to the wash room.

"What are you doing?" said Thorin, son of Thrain.

"Getting the clothes"

"I said I would take them" Thorin spoke, moving so he was ready to move from the bed.

"I can do it, it's not a problem"

"my armour is heavy" Thorin warned, standing to his feet. Anya ignored him and entered the room, scooping up not only her items of clothing but those of Thorin's too. He was right, she pondered, they were heavy, but she wanted to prove she could do it. Walking from the room slowly, Anya took a step toward the front door with a huff.

"can- can you- open th- the door?" she breathed, looking at Thorin over the pile of clothes, but Thorin did not. Instead he approached Anya and made to reach for the pile in her arms, but Anya backed away.

"Let me take them, woman" Thorin growled, taking another step forward.

"No... Man" was her pathetic comeback. And she frowned at him, clutching the clothes.

"Anya..." he warned, and took hold of an item, his stubbornness forcing him not to let go "... Let go..."

"No, now, open the door" she defied him and took another step back, but as she did, her foot caught one of Thorin's boots and she fell backward, colliding with the floor. Thorin was pulled forward and landed, along with the pile of clothes, on top of the female human. The air was knocked out of them both, and for a moment they led there in silence. "You have a habit of lying on top of me, mister dwarf" she then breathed with a chuckle.

"... Not... Intentional, I assure you" he answered and looked up at the woman whose face was almost covered by his fur coat and suddenly found the scene before him somewhat amusing. A deep chuckle escaped his lips as he looked joyfully into the woman's eyes. "What a mess this is" he said and leant back onto the heels of his feel, digging Anya out of the piles of clothing. As he picked up the last of the clothing, Thorin looked down at the shirt which had risen during the impact, and now only came to the top of her thighs. Looking away, Thorin scooped up the clothes and stood to his feet, walking to the door in haste. Anya blushed and scrambled to her feet, quickly pulling down the shirt to her knees. Thorin deposited the items outside the door as requested by Beorn and then closed the door, turning the lock. "I think it wise we got some rest" he said suddenly, walking to the bed. Anya nodded and almost skipped to her side. The thought of sleeping on a bed compares to the rough ground outside excited her. Pulling back the covers, Anya slid in with a sigh; the cool sheets against her skin felt Luscious. Thorin followed in suit, and led down, his arms resting by his sides, feeling rather strange at having a woman share a bed with him. It had been many, many a year since he has even been vaguely this close to another. Anya smiled and propped her head up on her hand as she led on her side, and regarded the king dwarf.

"Goodnight Thorin" she said just above a whisper. Thorin turned his head and looked at the woman with gentle eyes.

"Yes, it is" he answered and the woman chuckled. That was not what she meant, but she had no energy to explain. So, slowly she leant forward, her face inching towards his. Thorin sucked in a breath and parted his lips, his breathing slowing. He was afraid it may stop completely. Gently, Anya placed her lips against the dwarven kings own and lovingly kissed him for some moments; utterly happy that Thorin responded with great enthusiasm. "It truly is a good night" he uttered when they broke away for air.

"May I cuddle you tonight?" she asked, her hair trickling down and pooling by Thorin's face.

"Cuddle me?"

"Hug you... Hold you?" she answered and Thorin's mouth shaped an 'o' as he understood.

"Of course, I would very much like that" he commented. Sliding down the bed just an inch, Anya led and rested her head in the crook of his neck, wrapping her arm around his chest. Thorin rested his chin on top on Anya's head and wrapped his arm around her back, resting his hand just above Anya's hip bone. "Sleep well Anya" he whispered, revelling in the feeling of her body against his own.

"And you" she said with hardly any strength, clearly obvious she was falling into a sleepy state. Thorin smiled and closed his eyes, allowing slumber to take him.

o.o.o

"Did you hear that, Gandalf?" Bilbo whispered in the darkness of the room.

"Hear what my dear hobbit?" Gandalf grumbled.

"I heard a roar of an animal" he whispered in fear. Gandalf was silent a moment, considering what to deliver as an answer, knowing Beorn did not want the others knowing what exactly he changed into as of yet, and so, the wizard turned his back to the hobbit and grumbled

"it was nothing, get some rest Bilbo. You are safe in this home"

o.o.o

Anya wriggled against Thorin in her sleep and moved closer to him if that was even possible. The sudden clinging of hands on his shirt jerked the king out of his slumber and bleary eyed he glanced down at the sleeping woman against him and now realised that her head was no longer under his chin but resting on his chest. She had curled up against him and fisted his White shirt in her fists. Thorin moved his arm back towards her and once again wrapped it around her side, and with the other he gently brushed Anya's hair from her face, tucking it behind her ears. Gently he hummed the tune of the song of his people, 'misty mountains cold' and absent-mindedly stroked the woman's head; the need for sleep suddenly disappearing from him. He was content with lying in the dark listening to Anya breath as she slept.

o.o.o

"Get to sleep Kili, I am far to weary to lay awake, speaking with you" Fili grumbled into his pillow as he led on his stomach, drained of all energy.

"I know, but I cannot sleep knowing uncle has a woman in his room... It's so... Unlike him. I wonder what is going on." Kili spoke with such excitement it made him appear very childlike. Fili sighed heavily into his pillow, knowing he would receive no sleep until Kili had everything off his chest.

"It is uncles business, and his alone as to what is happening in that room Kiki. Do not concern yourself with it. He would be highly unamused with you if he ever found out that you were lingering on such things. Give him his privacy" grumbles the heir to the throne of Erebor. Kili huffed in annoyance and turned on his side, facing his brother.

"but, do you think-"

"Kili, if you do not sleep right now I will shave the hair from bombur's backside and will stick it to your face as a beard replacement." Fili threatened his younger brother and he heard kili's mouth shut and his body lying flat on the mattress.

"Just to settle my thoughts before I sleep... You wouldn't really do that would you?"

"Kili, I would bathe with an Orc and marry an elf if that's what it would take to silence you at this moment"

"fair enough. Sleep well brother" Kili replied with a smile on his face.

"Yes, you too" Fili mumbled into the pillow and closed his eyes contently.

o.o.o

"Hmm" Anya mumbled against Thorin's chest, wriggling once more. The dwarf king watched her closely, freezing his actions as the dark haired woman began to whimper in her sleep.

"Anya?" he whispered, unsure as to whether she was awake or not. Anya whimpered once again and harshly gripped Thorin's shirt, almost tearing the material. "Anya, it's ok" he cooed, uncharacteristically, resuming stroking her head, but it did not soothe her.

"No..." she spoke in her slumber "... Please don't... I don't want- no"

"Anya, wake up" Thorin spoke a little louder, now fully aware that she was experiencing a nightmare.

"Please don't!" Anya cried, and her salty tears dripped onto the son of Thrain's shirt. Getting worried, Thorin gripped Anya and pried her from him, laying her down beside him, then sitting up, the master dwarf tapped Anya's cheek in an attempt to wake her.

"Open your eyes Anya; wake from this dream" he urged her, and then tapped her cheek a little harder. The whimpering woman snapped open her eyes and looked in horror at the male before her. A hard sob burst from her chest and she lunged forward, gripping hold of Thorin in a terrified embrace. Anya trembled against Thorin's chest and soaked his neck with tears. The king under the mountain was taken by surprise and found, in that moment, he did not know what to do. "you are safe" he found himself whispering in her ear and gently pulled her up and placed her down on his lap. Never letting go, Anya wrapped her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck. "Anya, you are worrying me" he spoke, stunned at the difference in her behaviour. "Answer me Anya"

"please don't let me go" she said through a broken voice.

"I have hold of you, I won't let you go. What has you so terrified? Tell me?"

"They were killing you all, and there was nothing I could do. They were cutting you up before my eyes, and poor Bilbo, he was lifeless... Dead. I was just forced to watch, and listen..." she spoke, against his ear.

"Who were?"

"Those Orcs..."

"It was just a dream, you are safe here, we are all safe here" he reassured her, placing a gentle kiss on the top of her head. "Rest now... You are exhausted"

"No, I don't want to sleep, please, don't make me" She said helplessly against his neck. Exhaling loudly, Thorin stroked her back, suddenly having a strange sensation as he remembered back many years ago when he would hold a baby Kili in such a way, soothing him before settling him into his cot as a favour to his sister.

"I will never make you do something you do not want to do Anya, never. Come, let us lay down. We do not have to sleep, we can just lay down" Thorin cautiously moved backwards and began to lower his back, encouraging Anya to remove her legs from around his waist, but she still led atop of him, but he didn't mind. Gently he stroked the length of her back, up and down, up and down. Although she refused to sleep, Thorin was encouraging it, for he knew it would do her good. And as planned, Anya's whimpering silenced, and her breathing steadied, a sign that sleep, once more, was claiming her. Eventually Anya slept and Thorin smiled at her, placing a kiss on her forehead. "Sleep, sweet Anya, sleep". He whispered and held the woman atop of him, not wanting to disturb her.

o.o.o

The smells of cooked meats floated through each and every crook and corridor of the house and entered every bedroom, awakening every dwarf from their slumber. Quickly they rose from their beds and followed their noses; all exciting the room, strangely at the same time, all except, of course, Anya and Thorin. As the 13 members of the company trudged across the corridor towards the scent of newly cooked food, Fili paused outside his Uncles room, confused as to why he had not left. Knocking the door, he waited for an answer, but one did not come. Thinking that perhaps he and Anya were already downstairs, Fili opened the door and stumbled upon a sight he should perhaps not have been privy to. The bed sheets were slew to the floor and Anya led atop Thorin, holding him tight, her shirt slightly raised up her legs, and Thorin had his arms wrapped around her back, holding her in place. Reading the situation completely wrong, Fili blushed immensely, believing to have interrupted the two, and slowly backed out of the room, closing the door with him. The sound of the closing door woke Thorin from his sleep and he jerked slightly, surprised to see Anya still there, and then it dawned on him that his arms held her there. Feeling embarrassed, Thorin let her go and wriggled out from underneath her and gently settled her down on her stomach, quickly pulling down her shirt to cover her. The sudden smell of food filled his nostrils and he felt his stomach pang with hunger. "Anya, wake up" He said loudly, not having to worry about waking the others, knowing full well that the others were already awake. Anya mumbled and stretched her limbs, waking up. "Good morn" He sounded and Anya rolled over onto her back and rubbed her eyes fiercely, wiping away the sleep from her eyes.

"Mrnnnin" She mumbled, attempting to say 'morning'. Thorin smiled at her tired self and looked down at himself for a moment at his clothing, and wondered whether the men had gone to breakfast in these garments or whether they were dressed in their own. His thoughts were interrupted by a loud yawn escaping Anya's mouth, followed by a soft chuckle. "What I meant to say, was good morning" She spoke and crawled off the bed quite animalistic like, and Thorin looked at her wide-eyed. Stepping onto the floor, Anya walked towards the king and placed her hands on his chest, looking up at him with a raised eyebrow. "I said I didn't want to go back to sleep"

"Yes, well, you needed to regain your energy" He answered, standing his ground, his face now unreadable.

"Thank you" She then spoke and placed a hand on his cheek, bringing his face down to meet her own. His lips instantly crashed against her own, and he held her hips to steady them both. Thorin was hungry, that was sure, but for what he did not know. As he kissed her, he pondered that question. Was if food he craved or Anya? At the moment he seemed to know the answer and slowly turned them around, backing her up against the wall. They remained like that for several moments, with Thorin deepening the kiss; it becoming much more passionate, until neither could breathe much longer and both pulled away. Thorin rested his head against her own, breathing heavily, and stared into her eyes lusciously.

"You are most welcome" He breathed, his mouth hanging open, trying to catch his breath. Anya was about to reply, when her stomach did it for her and both glanced down toward it. "I think you are hungry"

"So do I" came her reply.

"You best place those breeches on before we leave, I do not want you startling the men; they will choke on their food" He mocked, glancing back down at her bare legs.

"Haha…" She said, poking her tongue out at him and picked up the breeches that were on the floor and placed them on. Not a moment later did the pair walk out of the room and down the corridor toward the dining area.

As Thorin and Anya walked in, the others oblivious to their appearance, the sight of the food made both of their mouths water. Taking a seat at the table, Thorin glanced up and looked across at his heir and watched with great confusion as Fili looked between him and Anya with the reddest cheeks he thought possible, and then turn quickly to his brother, starting up a conversation. What on Durins good earth was that about? He pondered, then reached for a mug of what he supposed was mead and took a great swig.


	14. Chapter 14

Anya quickly consumed as much food as she possibly could; her hunger dawning on her. She did not realise just how hungry she was until she filled her mouth with pork, bread and fruit. Glancing up, the woman watched the others talk merrily with one another. Beorn sat at the head of the table in deep conversation and Fili kept glancing over at her every chance he could and it suddenly made Anya very self-conscious. Stopping eating the brunette looked at Thorin and watched him take a long swig of mead, his eyes soft and his back relaxed as he regarded his merry men. "Thorin?" she whispered, leaning over toward him. Thorin placed down his mug and turned to face the woman, wondering why in earth her expression was tense and troubled.

"What is wrong?" he asked, clearly concerned.

"It's- its Fili. He keeps looking over at us and it is making me uncomfortable" she whispered and Thorin quickly turned his head and indeed found his eldest nephew looking at them both with rosy cheeks. Humming, interested in his nephews behaviour, Thorin nodded his head towards him, indicating that he wished to speak with him. Then, rising from the table, Thorin walked from the room and felt Fili follow just behind. When he was satisfied that they were far enough away so the others could not eves drop, he turned and crossed his arms against his chest; his blue eyes bearing into the pale ones before him.

"Is something wrong nephew?" he inquired, his authoritative tone returning as he looked over his nephew's shabby form. Fili swallowed and sheepishly shuffled on the spot, looking down at his bare feet rather than Thorin's questioning glare. "Fili-" Thorin warned, when the blonde did not answer.

"I... I saw something this morn that I should not have, and I am sorry..." he blurted out very uncharacteristically and Thorin raised his eyebrow in interest.

"Oh? Do tell" he spoke, unaware that his nephew was talking about him and Anya. Fili fidgeted and sighed loudly.

"I thought you both were in the dining area but I wanted to make sure... And you were both... I'm sorry; I should not have interrupted you... I feel foolish"

"interrupted us? My dear boy what are you speaking about?" Thorin inquired, puzzled about his nephews words.

"...during... Coitus..." he managed to say without blowing up from embarrassment.

"Coitus? Fili, were not doing such an act this morn" Thorin replied, utterly confused.

"Oh, but, Anya, she led atop you... And... She was dresses in naught but a shirt; I presumed you were... With her... After all, you are courting... I-"

"Fili. Stop..." Thorin chuckled and placed his hands on his nephew's shoulders to steady and calm him. "We were sleeping; nothing happened, I was merely comforting her after she experienced a nightmare last night. She fell asleep" Fili's mouth formed an 'o' and he closed his eyes, hoping that the floor would open and swallow him whole to save him from the sheer stupidity of this moment. The king however, was quite amused at this situation and tapped Fili on the shoulder, turning to leave back to the dining room. "Do knock next time though Fili" he said, playfully, something he rarely did with his nephews or anyone for that matter and Fili's eyes shot open in surprise.

"Next time?" he said quietly and thought of possible scenarios as to what his uncle meant, causing him to blush one more.

Thorin walked back into the room, surprised to see his men still indulging in the delicacies before them. Walking around Anya, and taking a seat once more, next to her, the woman in question stared at him in wonder as to what went on outside of the room. Picking up her mug to drink, Anya took a sip and in that moment the regal king leant over and whispered in her ear what Fili had thought was happening between them this morning and Anya spat out her drink loudly. This caught the attention of all and Thorin quickly pulled away, clearly amused at her reaction. Anya blushed a deep red and looked around at all the amused faces including beorns and a highly embarrassed Fili.

"You alright lass?" Balin chuckled, looking over her deeply coloured skin and now soaking food.

"Uh- yeah, I'm good thank you" she replied and picked up a cloth that was beside her plate and gently wiped her face with it. Thorin chuckled quietly and leant back into his chair, watching the flustered woman dry herself and the table around the plate.

"Don't you like the mead?" Bofur inquired, thinking that that was the reason she spat the fluid out.

"No, no, it's nice..." she began and then turned her gaze to the dwarf king with annoyed eyes. He could have told her when they returned to the room to change into their familiar clothes, not here in front of all, she pondered. Shrugging his shoulders, Bofur returned his gaze to his brother and friends and resumed his joyous chattering. "Thanks for that..." she muttered, unamused in Thorin's direction.

"I do apologise" he spoke, though his lips turned up in a smile, clearly reflecting the lack of sincerity in such an apology. Frowning, Anya looked away and glanced down at her soggy food with a sigh.

"Beorn?" she spoke loudly catching the attention of the host. Smiling, the large man inclined his head toward her in an action that indicated he was ready to her whatever she had to say. "I don't suppose I could have my clothes please? I'd like to get changed" nodding, the large man rose to his feet and walked from the room, gathering the female's clothes. Returning, he handed them to her and he received her thanks. Accepting the items, Anya got up and left the room towards the one she had occupied the night before. Thorin's eyes did not leave her back as she walked away and he was unaware of the host coming to sit beside him with a grin upon his face.

"Would you care for your clothes so that you may join her?" he inquired but quiet enough for only the ears of the king. Thorin glared at the man and raised his eyebrows incredulously.

"What are you implying?" he snapped but it did not phase the cheery expression on beorns face. He merely found the dwarfs reaction entertaining.

"You suit one another" was all that the shape shifter said and he moved away from the dwarf and took his place once more at the head of the table. Thorin pondered over the man's words and glanced back toward the doorway, a sudden urge to get up and follow her consumed him. Fisting his hands, Thorin resisted the urge and pulled his head away, a strange feeling spreading in his chest; one that he had not experienced in far too long, or if at all.

"Uncle?" a voice came and ripped him away from his emotional battle. Kili and moved away from his sibling and came to rest beside Thorin, looking up at his uncle with an unreadable expression upon his face. The son of Thrain gazed at his youngest nephew and noted the dark circles forming under his eyes.

"You are not resting enough" he stated, the fatherly side of Thorin shunning through at that moment. Kili stared down at his hands, preparing himself for a lecture from his uncle about why sleep was necessary so on so forth, but it did not come and it surprised him. "What is it Kili?" Thorin spoke after a long while of silence.

"Nothing, I just wished to sit with you" came his reply, although it was semi truthful.

"Your posture is slouched and you are fidgeting; something clearly ails you." Thorin stated, turning his body to that he now sat directly in front of his nephew.

"I have been sleeping well... But I am weary... Exhausted even, since yesterday morn" Kili spoke, sighing as he noticed his uncle frown. He though Thorin to be disappointment with him, or fed up of his lack of capabilities, but it was not a frown of either of those, but a frown of utter concern.

"Have you eaten and drunk plenty? Exhaustion can be a cause of dehydration or lack of nutrition" questioned the king under the mountain. Kili nodded.

"I have consumed perhaps too much, but it does not make the slightest difference. Are we to leave this day? I truly believe, uncle that my body could not cope with another day of walking" Kili whispered these words and Thorin began to grow even more worried for his youngest nephew. He roamed his eyes over his worn figure and something caught his attention. Kili's neck, where the pipe had penetrated the skin, had a Greyish hue to it; definitely not the right colour for skin. Reaching a hand out, Thorin grabbed kili's cheek and turned his head to the side so he could examine it closely.

"When did this appear on your neck?" Thorin's authoritative voice sounded and Kili lowered his eyes, knowing he was about to receive a telling off.

"Last night..."

"And only now you come to me? Kili!" Thorin scolded, glaring at his nephew in annoyance. "Does it hurt?"

"No it does not" replied the beardless dwarf.

"Does it irritate you at all?" the dark haired royal dwarf persisted, searching kili's face for any sign of aches or pains or any form of discomfort.

"I am just tired uncle" he breathed and held the table to support himself.

"Go back to the bedroom, now. Try and rest and I will send Oin to check on you in a while. This is not right" Thorin ordered his nephew and grabbed his arm lightly, lifting him up from the seat, but as he did, Kili's head spun a little and he stumbled; luckily Thorin had hold of him otherwise he would have had fallen to the floor. "Kili, are you ok?" the king said louder, causing the company to silence and watch the current situation between their leader and the young Durin prince. Kili nodded and felt an immediate urge to vomit. Pulling away harshly from Thorin's grasp, Kili rushed from the dining room, his bare feet patting on the floor as he headed toward his room, and eventually the washroom. The dark haired leader rose to his feet in concern, a scowl upon his face.

"What's going on?" Fili questioned, panicked at seeing his brother flee the room with great haste.

"There is something wrong" Thorin breathed and before Fili could ask time about it, Anya rushed into the room, fully dressed and eyes wide open.

"Kili's lying on the floor out there. He looks pale" She said, despite being out of breath from running. Fili gasped and immediately ran to his brother's aid. Thorin snapped his head toward the host and grimaced.

"Do you have some knowledge of poisons and such… I believe my nephew is suffering from it?" He inquired, thinking that Beorn looked the 'hunter' type and perhaps would be somewhat knowledgeable in the field of poisons and remedies; after all looking after oneself in the wild was a key priority.

"I do indeed; but how has your lad come in contact with poison, I have no such thing amongst my food or drink!" Beorn replied, suddenly feeling like Thorin was accusing him of poisoning his nephew.

"We were ambushed on the way to your home. My nephew was struck with something. It caused him to fall unconscious. He had been fine until last night, I was recently informed" Thorin spoke. Anya looked around, utterly confused at what was going on, having missed everything whilst dressing in her room. Fili walked back, flustered, and a frightened look upon his face.

"He isn't waking; I need help to lift him to his room" Fili spoke.

"I will help you Laddie" Dwalin gruffly answered and stood, pushing up his sleeves, walking toward the blonde dwarf. Beorn too left the comfort of his chair and followed the tattooed dwarf, happy to help the king of the dwarves having realised that he was not being accused of foul play. Kili was on his stomach, face pale just as was stated, and his brow slightly damp. His breathing was shallow and his breaths rugged. Beorn pushed past both Dwalin and Fili and reached down with his enormous arms, scooping the young dwarf in his arms, and walked toward the room he had occupied the night before. Thorin had finally made it behind them with Balin, Bilbo and Anya in tow and looked worried as he watched his youngest nephew lay limply in the giant man's arms. Anya rubbed Thorin's arm comfortingly and too looked on with concern. Kili was her friend, well, she liked to think he was, and to see him in such a way was quite unnerving.

Beorn placed Kili on the bed and instantly checked his temperature. He had a fever. Opening his eyelids, Beorn surveyed the greyish colour taking over the whites of his eyes and hummed as he thought. His attention then turned to his neck and frowned at the darkening skin; which in the centre was a small hole which he has presumed was where he was struck. Pulling down his shirt just a little to check how far the darkening skin had spread, the shape shifter was relieved to see that it had not travelled far. 'Umming' and 'Ahhing' the tall male pulled away and regarded the small form upon the bed. "Well?" Thorin spoke, stepping into the room, looking back and forth between Kili and Beorn.

"Indeed he has been poisoned; he has also come down with a fever. I can heal him, but it will take time." Beorn answered. Thorin suddenly felt selfish. When the shape shifter had said 'time', he thought to himself, 'how long? We must get back to our quest as soon as possible', but then Kili entered his mind, and although reclaiming Erebor was a great desire of his, his family were important to him.

"I can give you time" Thorin sighed his reply, looking to the floor. Beorn nodded at him in thanks and immediately took to the wash room, filling a bowl up with cold water, and picking up strips of cloth from a cupboard on the wall.

"I may need assistance" Beorn spoke.

"Oin or Gloin have skills in healing…" Thorin offered "… Though I expect Fili will wish to stay with his brother"

"I will have use of a healer, but the boy will just get under foot. I will need as much space as possible"

"As you wish; I will make sure of it that my nephew will stay out of your hair. I will send Oin through to you… And… thank you master Beorn. You hospitality has been great to us, and now this… I hope my thanks is efficient for you, for I have no gold or coins to give you as payment of my gratitude" Replied the son of Thrain.

"Payment is not needed. Seldom to people enter my home; the company is well received. Go now; I will need to concentrate" Thorin nodded and walked form the room in pursuit of his washed clothing.

….

Thorin feebly walked to his room, his clothes in his arms, worrying about his nephew further down the corridor. He had never seen Kili in such a state and it was heart breaking; but of course he did not reveal this to the others in fear of breaking his emotional barrier. The king was so consumed in his thoughts as he entered the room that he did not realise he was being followed by Anya, who had taken to watching the king dwarf closely, knowing that there was something wrong underneath those layers of stubbornness. The dark haired male set down his clothes and took to stripping off his shirt. He stood mighty but weary in nought but his breeches and sighed heavily, rubbing his tired face with his battle worn hands. Anya approached quietly, blushing at the sight of the male's naked top half. Her gaze landed quickly upon a large scar, however, that started at his shoulder and run across his back until it stopped just above his hip bone. It was dark in colour which Anya took as a sign of it being fairly old, but the recent bruising's from the mouth of the warg were dashed along his skin as if his torso were a canvas and the bruises the paint. As she took a step forward, the floor beneath her foot creaked which in turn alerted the king of her presence. Slowly he turned to face her and looked tiredly into her eyes, not caring of his current appearance. He stood for a moment, with his eyes locked upon her's, unmoving and unreadable. It was not until the woman took a step toward him that he spoke. "What are you doing here?" he questioned, just above a whisper.

"I was just checking to see if you were ok" Anya stated, her eyes unable to prevent themselves from roaming across the bare chest before her.

"I am fine" Thorin answered, his tone dull. He watched her gawp at him, and in some ways it made him quite self-conscious. Quickly reaching for his washed tunic, Thorin pulled it on over his head and sighed at the touch of cold cloth against his warm skin. "You need not concern yourself with me" he announced, his eyes returning to her's.

"This whole 'I'm ok, I have no emotions thing' may fool those dwarves out there, but you're not pulling any wool over my eyes, ok? I'm not stupid by any stretch of the imagination. I can tell there is something bothering you, and it's probably the deal with Kili and everything else you have to cope with. You can tell me. I'm not going to laugh, or judge or tell the others; I am no snitch."

"There is nothing to tell" Thorin answered, refusing to let down his guard; the one he had spent many decades building. He was stubborn, and he knew that himself. He had feelings for her, that was certain, but after years of being let down, betrayed, it took a long time for him to trust another, and so, at this moment, he did not wish to share anything involving his deepest darkest thoughts with her. It would take time, and until that time arrived he would deal with it in his own way.

"We are supposed to be courting, Thorin. We are supposed to talk to each other" Anya pressed on, and the male dwarf grimaced and stayed silent. "You... You don't want to tell me?" she said in the next breath with disbelief. Thorin's expression softened and he looked sadly up at the woman, his posture slacking. "You don't trust me enough to let me in?" again, Thorin stayed silent. "That's the purpose of courting, to get to know the person and build a trust!" Once more, no response. "Really, you literally have nothing to say to me?" Thorin opened his mouth to say something, but his voice faltered him and Anya looked at him with such a hurt, angry expression Thorin thought he felt a tear inside of him. "Fine... I'll ask Beorn for another sleeping arrangement"

"what?" finally Thorin answered.

"I can't share a room with someone who won't speak to me or barely trusts me" came her answer and she turned on her heels and marched to the door.

"Is that a necessary cause of action?" Thorin growled at her.

"I'm not your enemies Thorin, I'm not someone who is going to slip away from you and betray you. My loyalties are with you and that lot out there since I found out I'm dead in my world. I'm here for you. To listen to you. To comfort you. Until you realise that and actually let someone in; the one person who actually cares for you, then yes, it's necessary" she retorted, not looking back. In the next breath Anya opened the door and exited, leaving the king alone, and miserable.

Kilo gasped in his unconscious state; beads of sweat trickling down his sickly pale face. Oin and Gloin had taken turns in aiding the large, almost giant man. Bofur too had dropped by now and then, eager to assist with the little knowledge he had on such injuries and afflictions. Fili was distraught when Thorin informed him that he was not to disturb the men inside; and the thought of leaving his brother the way he was did not settle well with him. Of course, Thorin embraced him away from prying eyes and reassured him that kili's health would improve; he had great faith in the shape shifter. Fili, in that moment, a very uncommon thing between them, had clung to Thorin, afraid for his brother. Thorin had stroked his head a few times, and squeezed his arms, before pulling away, smiling at his heir with a reassuring smile.

Anya had not spoken to Thorin since the conversation between then that morn and had taken to cleaning away the table for Beorn, chatting with both Bilbo and Gandalf, and took to Walking outside and stroking the mares in the stable. She did all possible to keep herself busy and away from the infuriating dwarf. While she was alone she actually took time to think about her life. About how fictional it appeared. These situations never happened on earth and it felt as though Anya were dreaming it all, but she knew the truth, the sickly truth that she had died back home and was given another chance in this world; by whom she did not know. God? Or whatever creature or entity that commanded this world. Whatever... Whoever it was, she was thankful to them. She may not like her current situation; constantly battling here to stay alive... But the fact that she was alive and never loved her life so much as she did now made her appreciate it greatly.

Kili's legs suddenly jerked whilst Beorn placed a fresh cool flannel on his head. The shape shifter looked curiously at the young dwarf and watched as his eyes began to move underneath his eyelids. Smiling, knowing that he was coming around, Beorn walked to the door and opened it, looking down the corridor for the leader of the company or at least the young dwarf's brother. As expected, Fili stood in the corridor, pacing back and forth. When he heard the door open he glanced up and locked eyes with the shape shifter, fearing the worse. Taking a step forward toward the door, Fili's hands trembled in worry. "Is... Is he..."

"He's waking up lad" Beorn answered with a grin and nodded his head backwards, edging the blonde dwarf to come. Fili let out a deep breath he did not realise he was holding and almost jogged to the door, eager to see his brother.

"Munhmsnmsn" Kili muttered incoherently, moving about on the bed, his eyes open just a fraction.

"Kili!" Fili gasped and ran to the bed and to his sibling's side, placing a hand on his damp hair. Kili did not respond but glanced around deliriously. "Is he going to be ok?" Fili breathed, looking over his brother's face with worry.

"His fever is cooling and the discoloured skin is slowly fading; yes he will recover, but you cannot rush it" Beorn spoke and regarded the golden dwarf with soft eyes. He is just a boy, Beorn pondered and sighed. "I will leave you now. I think you are capable of looking after your brother for now. I have done all I can at this given time. If something crops up, call for either myself or Oin"

"thank you... Thank you so very much for your help master Beorn" Fili answered, eyes glazing slightly as his attention moved back to his brother. Beorn nodded and left the room quietly, leaving the dwarf lads alone. "Kili, brother, can you hear me?"

"Mhhnsmm" came kili's reply, his words making no sense to the blonde dwarf. Fili was about to reply when the door to the room swung open and Thorin entered with worried eyes.

"Beorn informed me that he was waking" Thorin explained his entrance and closed the door behind him. It was seldom that the line of Durin were in a room together, in each other's company and theirs alone. Fili felt a slight jump of joy in the second on seeing his uncle enter the room alone; despite what he may show, he very much missed his uncle, and how close they all were back in the Blue Mountains before Thorin had decided to go on this quest. The king in question walked to the foot of the bed and watched his youngest nephew moan and groan and fidget in the bed. "Has there been any change?"

"He mumbles things I cannot understand; apart from that, there is no change" Fili answered him, looking the elder in the face with respect and admiration.

"Well, that is a start" he commented, smiling at his heir. For a moment they looked at one another in silence, enjoying the closeness that was granted them, for the first time since the beginning of the quest. "Are you ok?"

"I'm better now that I know he will recover" he indicated to his brother as he spoke.

"You are good to your brother Fili" complimented the dark haired dwarf, regarding his nephew with loving eyes, not that his men were not there to whiteness it. "Your mother... And you father if he were here... Would be so very proud of you"

"thank you uncle... But it is you that I hope I have pleased" Fili answered honestly, stepping away from his brother, approaching his uncle a little closer, so that they stood two steps away from each other. "I know I have my mother's blessing and happiness, and my fathers if he were here, but it is yours that matters most to me. I hope I have made you proud"

"you need not ask me whether you make me proud or not; you could never disappoint me. Although you and your brother do foolish things, I would never and will never love you any less. I am proud. You are the best things that have happened in my life. I may not show it, and may seem cold and hard, but never doubt my love for you both" Thorin spoke, holding Fili's arms in his hands. "You remind me so much of my  
Brother" Thorin commented, quietly, staring at his nephews watering eyes.

"Mother has said that many times to me. I am sorry to not have known my uncle frerin" Fili answered wearily, not knowing whether the topic of frerin was still hard for his uncle and whether he was walking on thin ice, but to his relief, Thorin smiled. It must have been hard for Thorin, Fili thought, because he could never imagine in his wildest dreams losing his young brother in war and living his years without him. Fili had the sudden urge to hold Thorin closely, but he knew Thorin would not want that, so instead he gazed at him sorrowfully and said "I'm sorry for your loss uncle, so very sorry"

"as am I..." Thorin's voice almost broke and he quickly changed the subject, knowing that if it were pursued any further be might break down in front of his heir, and he could not have that. Leaning forward, Thorin rested his forehead against Fili's and closed his eyes. "I am so proud of you" he breathed and pulled away from him with a gentle smile. "I will leave you now; keep me updated about his condition. I shall see you in an hour or so for supper"

"are you not going to stay here?" Fili inquired, almost childlike at the thought of his uncle leaving so soon.

"No, I have some things to sort out"

"oh... Well in that case, I will see you later" Fili sounded deflated and lowered his head. Thorin noticed this and his shoulders slackened.

"Once we reclaim Erebor, there will be much time to spend with one another, with your mother too. I'm sorry that it isn't as it used to be." Thorin spoke, and waited a moment before turning on his heels and left the room.

"If we ever reclaim Erebor..." Fili whispered and stroked his brother's brow.

The day had gone past so very fast that the dwarves did not feel tired by the end of it. They had spent the day laughing, sparring, checking on Kili, feasting, drinking and of course more feasting. As the moon sat high in the sky and all became silent outside, the company had silenced, sitting around with sighs, as if bored. Beorn once again asked that all stay inside the home during the evening and had taken off for the night with Gandalf in tow. The little hobbit was still curious as to what he had heard the previous evening and he knew that Gandalf was hiding something from them all. Gandalf had said that Beorn was a shape-shifter, but did not state what he turned into, and so, that evening, Bilbo's mind was plagued with images of wild beast, and came to the conclusion that the growl he had heard was Beorn, even though Gandalf would deny such a claim. Unable to stick the awkward silence any longer, the eldest of the company stood to his feet with a huff. "I cannot stand this silence; I am going to bed" said Balin and nodded to his king and friend and left the room.

"I think I might join you there, brother" Dwalin grumbled.

"Aye, I think I shall too, May as well get an early night." Dori spoke and Thorin nodded, thinking his comrade spoke wise words; they could all do with the extra rest, he pondered. And so, one by one the company lessened as all journeyed to their rooms for an early night, and all that was left was Anya and Thorin, sitting in silence on the large wooden chairs; their faces highlighted only by the flames of the candles in the room. Thorin watched the woman as she stared into the hearth, the reflection of orange and red flames danced in her pale blue eyes. He exhaled loudly at the thought of not speaking with her for the whole day, and how she was clearly annoyed with him. Leaning forward, Thorin thought a moment about what to say to her.

"I think I shall take to bed for the remainder of the evening" He decided and rose to his feet, but Anya did not answer nor pay any attention to the dwarf king. "Will you not join me?"

"I already said I would make other arrangements as to where I'll sleep tonight?" Came her short reply.

"Anya, please, just come with me…" Thorin rolled his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Why? So you can 'not talk to me' and pretend to be interested?"

"I am interested… and I want you to come" Thorin said, feeling his cheeks burn in embarrassment at voicing such vulnerability. Anya sat firmly in her place, clearly stubborn, just like a dwarf. Thorin was thankful that no one was in the room at that moment as he suddenly did something that he never thought he would do and was totally unlike him in all respects. Thorin stormed over to the stubborn woman, grabbed her arms gently, and pulled her against his chest. He placed his chin on the top of her head and wrapped his arms tightly around Anya's back. What took him by surprise however, was not the fact that she quickly held him back, but the fact that she whimpered and began to cry against his tunic. "I am…. Sorry… for not letting you in." Anya sniffled and grabbed the king's shirt tightly in her fists, holding him tightly. "Will you come with me… back to the room?" Anya nodded and Thorin smiled happily and pried her away from him. Taking hold of her face in his hands, he scanned her face, and with his thumbs he stroked away the tears. Leaning forward, Thorin rubbed his nose against Anya's for a few seconds, sighing contently against her face; his warm breath caressing her skin. Closing the distance between them then, Thorin pressed his lips harshly against her own and kissed her with fierce passion; that hunger he had experienced this morning, returned in a flash. Anya whimpered into the embrace, a mixture of tears and happiness, and allowed Thorin to take over her. "Come…" Was all Thorin said as he broke away for air and took one of the woman's hands in his own and led her back to the room they occupied the night before.


	15. Chapter 15

Thorin led the brunette woman into the room they has previously occupied and closed the door after them. Gently he took her to the bed and sat her on the edge, looking at her tired face with a mixture of concern and guilt. He had drained her; she had lived the day with plaguing thoughts of Thorin's mistrust of her, and it had worn on her. This situation was foreign to him; he had not been in such a one. It unnerved him but he did not show it. Was he to comfort her even more? Should he embrace her? What deemed as right for such a situation? Or perhaps he should leave her side and exit to the wash room to clean up. The king under the mountain felt frustrated; after so many years of living behind barriers, keeping a stony face and heart, he was pulled away from emotions. And now, as someone who clearly has great feelings for him is hurting, he cursed those years of Emotional confinement. The dark haired male sighed loudly and sat beside her on the bed, figuring that that was a start, but a feeble one at that. Surprisingly, Anya took to it. She shuffled to the side and rested her head on his shoulder, looking forward with a blank expression. Thorin did not how to feel at that moment. She had taken comfort on him and a strange twist in his stomach made his mind muddle with confusion. Swallowing hard, Thorin slowly wrapped his arm around the woman's back and held her there, both looking into the distance in silence. The silence was not awkward however; it was comfortable, as if neither person need say anything. Anya then rested a hand on the male's thigh and closed her eyes; she steadied herself as she felt the tiredness consume her. Fighting back the will to blush, Thorin removed his arm from around her and pulled away, standing up away from the bed. Anya's hand flopped down and she looked up with confusion at the man before her. "What's wrong?" she spoke. The temptation to say 'nothing' was very great, but he remembered the effect that it had had on her this morning, so, he searched his currently muddled mind for something to say. It seemed however that the woman caught on before he could speak and she warmly smiled at him. "It's ok you know... I understand"

"understand what?" Thorin grumbled, feeling suddenly exposed and he did not like it.

"You're not used to it... Being all 'lovey dovey' and what not. It's not your fault" she explained and Thorin looked to the floor, exhaling in defeat. She knew his weakness and it felt like he had failed, like keeping up barriers was some kind of achievement. "Thorin, look at me" the son of Thrain glanced up at her, a scowl on his face; she knew the scowl was not for her but for himself, and so she brushed it aside. "I don't want you to feel that I expect you to be all emotional and all that crap. Your fine just the way you are. I don't expect anything of you in that respect, only, that you talk to me"

"I can talk" Thorin agreed and nodded, folding his arms across his chest; the glare still there.

"You don't have to be upset with yourself about your feelings" she reassured as she spotted the anger in his eyes.

"I am not... Familiar with this. I do not know how you want me to act around you" he admitted, shuffling uncomfortably.

"Whatever feels natural to you" Anya spoke with a smile.

"None of this feels natural to me!" Thorin raised his voice and flailed his arms in the air, turning away from her and walked toward the wash room door.

"You can't run from it every time" she protested, standing to her feet, rushing toward him before he could open the door. She grabbed his arm none to gently and forced him to turn around. He looked at her incredulously, his angered eyes bearing down into her soul. "Stop..." she breathed "stop running away" Thorin looked away in stubbornness. "Only I will see this side of you, none of them out there will..."

"Anya-" he attempted to protest but the woman grabbed his chin and turned his face toward her own and instantly locked her lips with his own. Thorin fought against it for a moment, but her words rang through his head. Dropping his barriers in that moment, Thorin curled his arms around her back and melted into her embrace. She was passionate as she kissed him and he could feel in that moment the true love she had for him. It scared but also excited Thorin; to think that this woman, this human, loved him dearly, the way he was. The master dwarf pushed away from the wall, never breaking contact with Anya's lips. He backed the woman toward the bed hastily. As Anya's legs caught on the edge of the bed, she toppled onto her back on the luscious sheets, with the dwarf falling atop her; their lips still never breaking. Anya grabbed a fist full of the king's hair and smiled into his kiss, happy that he was letting go of those barriers. "Why do you smile so?" he asked breathlessly, red faced as she looked down at her when he pulled away for breath.

"I am happy for you" she replied, reaching forward, stroking his cheek gently with the back of her hand. Thorin closed his eyes as he relished in the ministrations upon his face, sighing contently.

"I do not deserve this" he mumbled, opening his eyes.

"Why? Who says?" she questioned gently, continuing to stroke his cheek lovingly. "Give me a name and I will stop" but of course, Thorin had no name. No one told him such a claim, it was just his mind that said such a thing and so he shook his head. "I thought as much"

"thank you Anya" he whispered into her ear as he leant down to it. His voice shook with nervousness at revealing so many emotions in one go, and he swore that he suddenly felt something resembling to butterflies in his stomach.

"For what?" she whispered in return.

"For accepting me" he replied and gently placed a kiss on her pale neck. The woman smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck, holding him in place.

"I think... I think I love you Thorin..." he admitted against his cheek as she kissed it. Thorin gasped at her confession and found himself once more, wordless. He could not speak. What was he to reply to that? Did he love her? Love... What a foreign word in this case. He loved his nephews and his sister of course, with all his heart, but this love that Anya was speaking of was different; a romantic love. The usually composed king felt his heart hammer in his chest as If it were about to explode. His first reaction was to pull away, and pull away he did. But he did not move from their position. He pushed himself up on his strong arms and looked down at her; his black locks trickling down like a midnight waterfall, pooling around his shoulders. Anya gazed at him, her cheeks flushed.

"... How... How long... Do... Ugh" Thorin gave up, fed up of being unable to speak around her and he let his head drop in surrender to the feelings he was experiencing. Anya chuckled and brushed his locks behind his ears, exposing his face, although Thorin wanted nothing more than his hair to cover his shame filled face.

"Thorin?" she whispered and his eyes rose to meet her pale blue ones. He looked troubled and uneasy; his brow furrowed, but there was no anger... No hatred in his expression.

"Yes?" he found his voice.

"I love you" she repeated, but not for him to say it in return, but for Thorin to know that what she had previously said was not just in the heat of the moment, but was actually fact, and he knew this.

"I... I..." Thorin began but and shook her head.

"You don't have to say anything... I know..." she answered and watched the flicker of emotions dance in his eyes. He realised that his feelings for her were so much more than the odd 'fancy'. It felt strange but good to realise this, and the fact that she had known and did not require him to voice it back in return gave him some confidence that he was doing something right in their relationship. He nodded at her in thanks, but his eyes never left her's; he watched her, looked at her with a new look, a look of love that took Anya by surprise. It was a beautiful expression she thought, and it excited her to think that she WOULD be the only one to see it.

They stayed silent for some time; looking at each other, kissing one another and embracing. It was a beautiful experience; one that Thorin had wishes he had experienced much earlier in his life. As he thought along those lines, Thorin pondered about his age... He was not old, nor was he getting any younger, and this entry of Anya into his life gave him a sudden hope; that this was his chance to begin a new, to start a new life. He was almost nearly the point to reclaims Erebor, Which meant that he would have his kingdom back. And now, this woman, this unique woman has just professed her love for him. He found himself thinking that as well as a kingdom, he would have a spouse... Possibly. It all seemed to be fitting into place and Thorin thought whether or not this was fate or some such thing. Feeling confident enough to speak, Thorin pulled away and once more hovered over the woman. "Anya..." he began "... If I am to reclaim my home and rule it as my father and grandfather before me, then it is also expected of a king to have one beside him through his ruling and to have one such person bare the king an heir... If you are... You claim to love me, and have clearly shown to me how much of it is truth, and then it would appear obvious that you would wish for this to... Develop. I would ask that you seal this love you have for me by accepting my offer to... To take my hand and be bound to me..."

"What are you saying Thorin?" Anya asked. She knew exactly what he was speaking of, but to hear the word exit his mouth would make her heart skip a beat. She saw in that moment the king blush and he cleared his throat, closing his eyes, not wanting to see her reaction in case his eyes spotted some sort of rejection in her eyes. It was taking all of his will power to push away his barriers and pride to ask her, and if she were to reject him, it would break him.

"Anya, would you do me the honour and become my wife?" the asked, his voice shaking, nervously waiting for her answer... But nothing came. He felt dread fill his soul and he was too frightened... Yes, frightened, to open his eyes. And so he hovered above her, his eyes closed and his heart sinking. He could not face her. Ever so gently a hand pressed against his cheek and it caused Thorin to open his eyes in surprise. He gazed down at the woman with dread but saw no rejection, no disgust... Just love. She locked her eyes onto his and spoke loud and clear

"yes" she was not silent because she had to think over it, or because she missed Ryan In her own world, but for the simple fact that she just wanted to look into his eyes as she answered so that he could know that she truly wanted him. Thorin let out the breath he did not realize he had been holding and let out a nervous chuckle.

"I thought you were about to reject me" Thorin admitted, burying his face in the crook of the woman's neck, taking in her warm scent. "... I must admit, this proposal was rather sudden; not something I even considered this morn, therefore I am not prepared with a ring to present to you"

"that doesn't matter. We'll get one when you get your home back" she replied, stroking his head gently. Thorin nodded in agreement and suddenly pushed Anya up the bed so that her whole body lay on it properly. Thorin followed and came to rest beside her, looking up at the ceiling, comprehending what had just happened. He proposed to a woman and she accepted. He chuckled at the thought of his sister's reaction. Dis would be over the moon with joy. She had taken to badgering him for months on end before his decision to begin the quest. 'Thorin, you need a wife!' she would say here, then 'I am younger than you brother and I have already been married and have borne two children! Find a woman! You will need an heir!' as it turned out, Fili would be his heir, but perhaps now, things might change...

"I think perhaps we should take to bed" Thorin spoke after about five minutes of silence.

"We are already on the bed... I'm happy with just lying awake next to you" she spoke dreamily.

"As am I, but if we do not sleep, we will be grouches in the morn." he chuckled softly, turning his face to her's with a warm smile.

"I don't care" she mumbled, turning onto her side, cuddling up to Thorin, resting her head on his chest.

"You are clearly tired" he stated, placing a kiss upon her head. She looked up at him with a sparkle in her eyes and moved over him so that she sat upon his thighs. Thorin raised an eyebrow and placed his hands on the woman's hips. She placed her hands flat on his chest and leant forward, pressing her lips on his quickly, and then pulled away.

"I'm not tired" she disagreed and drew patterns with her long fingers along his chest.

"Anya-" he warned, but not with anger, with uncertainty. Anya ignored him and bit her lip. She looked at him with a question in her eyes and Thorin knew exactly what it was. "It will not be long until we marry as long as we keep to the quest with good timing" he made an excuse and took his hands from her hips, but she did not move. "I do not think it's right... Not now..."

"I don't care" she whispered. Thorin sighed and shook his head at her stubbornness.

"You may as well be a dwarf, woman" he commented. Anya laughed and kissed him once more but with more urgency. Thorin responded lovingly and passionately, moulding his mouth with her's perfectly.

That night, Thorin Oakenshield, king under the mountain, and Anya shared their first night together, lovingly. It took no time at all for them to fall asleep sometime later and both slept in each other's embrace.

o.o.o

"f-Fili?" a feeble voice sounded in the darkness of the room and Kili raised his hand, moving it around in search of his brother. The blonde dwarf woke from his slumber at the sound of speaking and opened his eyes to see an arm moving idly around. Quickly he grabbed kili's hand and held it between both of his. He sat up in an instant and gazed down at his brother. Although it was dark from the night sky, Fili could see the whites of his sibling's eyes sparkling.

"Brother! You are awake!" Fili exclaimed, not caring if it was loud enough to wake everyone in the house. Kili smiled at his brother and his breathing steadied. "Do you feel well?"

"I think so, I'm awfully tired though" Kili answered, his voice coarse.

"Then sleep brother, I'll be here with you" Fili spoke, moving his hand from kili's and placed it on his brow.

"I'm afraid to" admitted the brown haired prince, his eyes sparkling with sadness. "A dream plagued my mind... This sickness took over my mind and I slept a thousand years, never waking; and all around me changed and everything I loved passed away and I remained unmoving in the deathly slumber. I do not want to sleep Fili, and never wake up." when he finished speaking, a tear trickled down the young dwarfs face and he let out a sorrow-filled whimper.

"That will not happen; you are healing. Besides, I am here with you and as long as that is certain, I will never let anything happen to you little brother. Sleep and sleep well; I'm going nowhere" Fili answered and placed a brotherly kiss upon kili's brow.

"Thank you Fili" his words slurred as his eyelids became heavier and heavier with every passing second. The golden haired dwarf watched his brother fall into a slumber and for a long time that night he sat awake, watching his younger sibling, humming him tunes of home.

o.o.o

Bofur could not sleep. He tossed and turned in the bed, completely uncomfortable. The bed by far was the comfiest his back had come in contact with for a long time, but his restlessness did not agree. Groaning in disappointment, the dwarf rose from the bed and ventured out into the others rooms of the large house. He was hungry, nor was he thirsty, so the charming dwarf steered away from the kitchen and entered the seating area, taking a seat on a large padded chair next to the open fire. He stared into the flames and yawned. He hated it when he was tired but could not sleep; it was utterly frustrating. The warmth from the flames embraced his skin and it made him think of home. Sitting beside the hearth, with a block of wood on his lap and a chisel in hand. It was the perfect end to an evening; carving away, making masterpieces. That was Bofur's life, making gifts and ornaments and toys, and he loved it. It was hard for him to leave such comfort to help his king in the journey to reclaim Erebor, but he did not let on to anyone. He was no warrior; he knew how to wield a sword and axe of course, but he was not warrior like Dwalin and Thorin, and so it made him weary. Bofur grew fond of the dwarves he had met, or had grown closer too of course, and did not regret that in the slightest; but it was moments like these when he was alone that he really missed his home. Closing his eyes, feeling more inclined to sleep by the fire than in the bed, Bofur steadied his breathing. But, as life has its way, his attempted rest was interrupted by a rather loud growl. Startled, Bofur jumped up from the chair and rushed to the nearby window that faced the garden. Glancing out, the dwarf could swear his eyes caught sight of a bear. Shaking his head in disbelief, Bofur looked once more, and in that second of realisation that it was such a beast, the great creature turned its gaze toward the dwarf in the window and bared its teeth. "Well bless me!" he exclaimed and stinker back away from the window, his eyes wide in panic. What if the beast broke down the door and entered the home; it was surely big enough! Bofur thought for a moment about what to do. Should he alert his king? Perhaps the host, Beorn? Or should he fetch his sword and go and slay the beast? As Bofur was mulling over these options, the heavy footsteps of Beorn sounded as the shape shifter entered the room. Bofur  
swung around and stared up at the large male.

"Is all well master dwarf?" spoke Beorn, amused.

"I- there was a beast in your garden! A large bear to be precise; I think it wise to go out and slay it!" Bofur exclaimed.

"That would not be wise" Beorn spoke and stared knowingly at the dwarf. Bofur opened his mouth to speak, beorns words mulling over in his head. He then thought of the fact that this host was a shape shifter and it all clicked. The fact that the bear did not rush to the window, but instead bared its teeth when it spotted him was one thing that was out of the ordinary, and then the fact that Beorn had told them all not to leave the house in the evening... It all made sense.

"You are the great bear!" he exclaimed none to quietly. Beorn raised his hands for the dwarf to lower him voice and Bofur looked at him apologetically. Nodding his head at the craftsman, Beorn turned his back to the dwarf and began to head out of the room.

"Please do not utter this to anyone. I will inform them all when I am ready, and you can rest assured that I am no threat to you and your company"

"I will hold my tongue, you have my word" Bofur answered and watched the shape shifter walk away without another word. Returning to the chair beside the fire, bofur, thought about what he had seen, and of the fights to come, and the warm thoughts of home quickly faded away.

o.o.o

Thorin woke as the sun was slowly setting on another day and led silently, staring at the ceiling. Anya's head rested on his bare chest, her hair covering her bare shoulders and back. The king smiled as he glanced down at her sleeping form as thoughts of the previous night filled his mind. The sudden thought of a warm bath filled Thorin's mind, but the king did not want to disturb the sleeping woman, and so he took to humming lightly. Anya mumbled in her sleep and cosily nestled her face in the crook of his neck, getting closer to the dark haired king. Thorin gently stroked Anya's arm; he felt selfish… he wanted to wake her, he wanted to talk with her, he did not want her to sleep anymore. So, lifting his head just an inch, Thorin pressed his lips on Anya's forehead and kissed her. The woman stirred in her sleep as she felt the press on her brow and her eyes fluttered open. "What's wrong?" She mumbled, looking at the dwarf king.

"Nothing, I just wanted to see your eyes and hear your voice" his luscious voice echoed in her ears and it sent chills down her spine. Gripping the blanket, Anya pulled it up just under her chin to cover her body, and smiled. "Did you sleep well?"

"Well, I WAS sleeping well…" She retorted and the son of Thrain chuckled deep in his throat. "But yeah, it was nice. I didn't have any nightmares, which is a start. But I think I was too worn out to dream of anything…" At that Thorin cleared his throat and a slight pinkish colour dashed across his cheeks.

"Yes well, it was late…." He grumbled. Anya placed her hand on his bare chest and drew patterns on it with her fingers, just as she did last night.

"That was your fault" She challenged, leaning up on her elbow to look into Thorin's azure blue eyes.

"We are both to blame, woman" He spoke, a grin tugging at his lips.

"Yeah well… whatever" Said she, leaning down, ghosting her lips above his. Thorin closed the distance by leaning upward and captured her lips with his own. For many minuets they were moulded together, sighing happily as they kissed. It was perfect. It was peaceful. It was as if all the evil in the world faded away and that nothing could break this feeling of pure bliss…. If only…

"UNCLE! OIN! ANYONE!" Fili's scream echoed around the house in a terrified holler. Anya pulled her head away in an instant and looked to the door in fear.

"Kili" Thorin breathed the name, fearing as dread drenched over his entire being. Throwing away the bed covers, Thorin reached for his undergarments and breeches and quickly pulled them on. Grabbing his shirt, Thorin tugged it on and ran to the door of the chamber. "Stay here" He commanded Anya without looking back and opened the door, disappearing out of sight.

"OIN! BEORN!" Thorin's voice suddenly bellowed into the early morning and rustles of waking dwarves could be heard.


	16. Chapter 16

"Yeah well… whatever" Said she, leaning down, ghosting her lips above his. Thorin closed the distance by leaning upward and captured her lips with his own. For many minuets they were moulded together, sighing happily as they kissed. It was perfect. It was peaceful. It was as if all the evil in the world faded away and that nothing could break this feeling of pure bliss…. If only…

"UNCLE! OIN! ANYONE!" Fili's scream echoed around the house in a terrified holler. Anya pulled her head away in an instant and looked to the door in fear.

"Kili" Thorin breathed the name, fearing as dread drenched over his entire being. Throwing away the bed covers, Thorin reached for his undergarments and breeches and quickly pulled them on. Grabbing his shirt, Thorin tugged it on and ran to the door of the chamber. "Stay here" He commanded Anya without looking back and opened the door, disappearing out of sight.

"OIN! BEORN!" Thorin's voice suddenly bellowed into the early morning and rustles of waking dwarves could be heard.

~.~.~.~

Thorin ran down the corridor in fear. Dreaded thoughts plagued his mind on what he might come across. He had believed Kili to be improving and thought nothing of it that night as he led with Anya, but now, he felt utterly shameful for neglecting his youngest nephew. If dis had known about last night, he would have thought her to be so very disappointed with him for not keeping an eye on her youngest as he had so promised her. Bursting through the chamber door, his breath hitched in this throat. Fili held a limp Kili in his arms on the floor. Kili was much paler than he had been the night before and his nightshirt was soaked all the way through. Fill's tear stained face glanced up at Thorin with frightened eyes. "What happened Fili?" Thorin said gently, dropping to his knees beside his eldest nephew.

"He was on the way to relieve himself... He said he felt fine. Before he reached the edge of the bed, his legs gave way and his body convulsed on the floor; I have never seen such a horrifying sight uncle. He has not opened his eyes since the seizure." Fili explained, stroking kili's soaked brow. Thorin placed a hand on the blonde princes arm to let him know he was there for them both and he was about to utter comforting words and suggest they place him back on the bed when Kili began to shake once more, terribly.

"OIN! BEORN!" Thorin bellowed and lunged forward, scooping up Kili as Fili moved away from his sibling in panic. Thorin cradled Kili as if he were a babe and stumbled to his feet. He placed kili's head against his neck and held tightly onto the shaking body. The sound of rustling echoed around the room as the dwarves began to wake from the intrusion of shouting. Not a moment later a grey haired dwarf ran into the room and regarded the prince in the king's arms shaking violently.

"My lord?" Oin spoke warily, taking a step toward them.

"Kili" was all Thorin spoke, looking down at the brunette dwarf. Oin indicated for Thorin to place down the young prince on the bed and rolled up the sleeves of his shirt.

"What are his symptoms besides the seizures?" Oin inquired, steeping closely to the king to hear his reply as he had forgotten his hearing aid.

"Nothing... He seemed fine one moment, then, this" Thorin answered, mimicking what Fili had previously told him. Oin hummed in thought and moved over to the prince, holding his face in his old hands. As the elderly dwarf physician looked over the prince's eyes and felt his pulse, a crowd formed by the doorway as curious dwarves looked in at the scene before them. Fili stood in the centre of the room, his arms crossed against his chest, his eyes never leaving his brother's body. Thorin turned around and regarded the curious crowd with a solemn face until his attention turned to his pale heir. "Balin, take Fili out of the room and get him a drink"

"No! I will stay!" Fili exclaimed, quickly glancing to his uncle incredulously. Thorin glared at his nephew and stepped toward him, looking rather daunting. Fili looked at the floor at once, knowing that he had defied his sister's brother and was willing to accept a scolding in the presence of all. But instead, Thorin came to stand in front of him and held his arms softly.

"You have done enough and seen enough; I will not have you fall ill from exhaustion and worry. No go with master Balin and get a drink or something to eat and leave Oin to what he can" Thorin spoke calmly and Fili nodded. Turning away from the king, the blonde haired dwarf approached the white haired dwarf in the doorway and followed him from the room. " the rest of you; go back to your rooms and get a few more hours sleep." He commanded and slowly the company of dwarves made their way back to their rooms for a few more hours' shut-eye.

"I see what the issue is" Oin announced, and as he did, Beorn entered the room with a frown upon his face.

"Is there a reason as to why my name was called out with such high tones at such an early hour?" he said with a grumble, approaching the bottom of the bed.

"Master Kili has taken a turn for the worst and I think I have found the cause of it. See here…" The grey haired dwarf spoke to the shape-shifter, pointing to a lump on the young prince's neck. "The weapon used to strike down master Kili must have broken off into the skin; the poison is still in his system, and unless we remove what is under the skin and cleanse it, I fear for the worst"

"What? This is endangering him?" Thorin gasped on hearing the last words of his old physician.

"I am afraid so my lord. This is no ordinary poison; it is orc poison, with only one purpose and im sure we all know what that is. If you will assist me, master Beorn, I think it best to tend to this immediately; Kili is already turning an unnatural colour" responded Oin. Beorn nodded and walked forward toward the no longer convulsing male upon the bed. Opening the drawer to the bedside table, Beorn removed a folded up piece of cloth. Placing it onto the table, the large male unfolded it and revealed many small knives. Picking up a rather sharp looking one, Beorn turned his attention to Kili and placed the knife to the side of his pale neck.

"What do you think you are doing?!" Thorin shouted, glaring at the being that held a weapon to the youngest line of Durin.

"I must cut it out" Beorn simply stated and pressed the blade against the neck and dragged it no more than two centremeters across the lump. Instantly, blood curdled with a yellow substance poured from the incision and a slight pungent smell arose. Returning to the piece of cloth, Beorn picked up a pair of tweezers and then faced the dwarf king. "I cannot work with you breathing down my neck. I need space"

"You have space!" Thorin bellowed, annoyed at the lack of respect. This man maybe helping his nephew… saving his life, and has indeed given them a place to stay, but he was still a king, and a king who deserved respect… he thought.

"Leave the room, master dwarf, if you would please"

"I will stay with my nephew" Was Thorin's reply, unmoving.

"That was no request, master dwarf. Leave, or I will remove you myself. I need to tend to his open wound. Do you wish for it to get even more infected?" Beorn snapped.

"Of course I do not! I will leave, but I shall return!" Thorin snarled and stormed from the room with as much majesty as he could muster given the fact that he was utterly irate and flustered.

~.~.~.~

"Is- is he ok?" Anya asked as Thorin walked into the room with his head hung low. Anya had now dressed and made the bed and looked on worriedly at the dwarf king as she stood in the centre of the room. "You have been gone a while" the dark haired Dwarf walked toward the washroom and let out a great sigh.

"He will mend. There was a section of that weapon that imbedded itself in his neck; it must have broken off on impact. It was full of poison. That was what was keeping him Ill... Almost killing him. It's been removed and he has had the wound flushed clean. All we can do now is wait, which also means that the quest has been put on hold" the last few words Thorin spoke which such defeat in his voice and Anya knew that this whole situation must be very hard on him. His people were expecting him to reclaim their homeland, but in the next instance, his nephew was ill, and he had promised his sister that he would look after him. It was all a vicious circle indeed.

"Do you know how long?" Anya asked, approaching him slowly.

"A week, perhaps two at the most" his tone was low and weary as he hung his head low. Anya reached him and rested her cheek on his back, wrapping her arms around his front to hug him from behind. "I am sorry that this is how we should spend our first morning together after... After last night" Thorin said feebly, clearing his throat.

"It doesn't matter. Kili is more important right now. I understand." Anya answered and squeezed the dwarf tightly in her arms. Thorin allowed a smile to creep across his face as he felt the woman against him and he placed his larger hands over Anya's.

"I think, given the circumstances, we should wait until we inform the others of our engagement." Thorin spoke a moment later, turning his head slightly to rest it on top of her's.

"That sounds like a wise idea..." she agreed and pulled her head out from underneath Thorin's and reached up to place a kiss on his cheek. "I'm going to help the others prepare breakfast, then I'll go am visit Kili"

"I shall take a bath, then I will see you at breakfast" Thorin replied and pulled away from the woman he had shared a night with last night. Opening the washroom door, Thorin walked in an eyed the bath with longing. Closing the door behind him, the dwarf took to filling up the bath with warm water and bath salts.

~.~.~.~

"Mornin' lass" Bofur spoke, eyeing the brunette as she walked into the kitchen. Bofur and Dwalin were hovering over the open stone fire with sausages cooking in the pan, and both looked utterly exhausted. Anya nodded at the normally cheery dwarf and walked over to the pantry, collecting a variety cheeses and some bread. Bringing it back into the room, Anya laid down the food and reached for a chopping board and knife and began cutting portions off.

"Sleep well lass?" Dwalin grumbled over at the quiet human, eyeing her chopping away at the cheese.

"Uh, yes... Yes I did thanks" she blushed her answer, staring at the tattooed dwarf. Dwalin frowned in confusion as she became flustered at his question and shrugged it off, returning his gaze back to the cooking meat.

"Morning all!" Dori said cheerfully, walking into the kitchen, completely dressed and ready for the day. "Would Anya of you care for a cup of camomile tea?" a unanimous 'no' sounded and the well to do dwarf sighed, moving over to the tea pot with less enthusiasm.

"I hope you had a pleasant sleep, Miss Anya" Dori spoke, repeating swallow question, and Anya stood to her feet, her cheeks viciously red.

"I slept well!" she spoke, feeling as if the others knew, and she left the room in haste.

"Strange lass, that one" Dwalin commented as Anya disappeared out of sight.

~.~.~.~

"Ahh, Anya, It seems an age since we conversed. Tell, me, did you sleep well last night? You look rather tired" Gandalf spoke merrily as Anya rushed into the dining room where Beorn and Bilbo too sat with a pipe in their mouths.

"Why is everyone asking how I slept? I slept fine, ok, fine!" she raised her voice, flustered, and rushed also from that room back to the bedroom, unable to face anymore dwarves asking about how her evening sleep went. Beorn smirked as he watched the woman leave the room and he let out an amused snort.

"What is so funny master Beorn?" Gandalf inquired, staring at his animalistic friend. Bilbo was too consumed in his pipe smoke to hear what was being said and so the shape shifter spoke.

"Is it not obvious?" he questioned the wise grey wizard but Gandalf just frowned in response, indicating that it was not. "It seems that Anya did sleep VERY well, my old friend, judging by her reactions to these inquisitive dwarves" Gandalf's eyes widened in realisation at what Beorn was implying and he choked on his old toby.

"Oh indeed..." Gandalf agreed a moment later after composing himself. "Do not let on to the others my dear Beorn, however, I implore you."

"My lips are sealed, as are Anya's it seems. The poor woman looks utterly embarrassed. It is clear she does not want anyone to know, and I will respect that" Beorn answered respectively and took to leaning back into his chair, taking a long inhalation of old Toby before blowing it out.

~.~.~.~

"I thought you were going to breakfast!" Thorin exclaimed out of surprise as Anya burst into the room frantically, her cheeks flustered and expression clearly annoyed. Thorin would have found it most amusing if it were not for the fact that he stood, with just a towel around his waist. Thorin swallowed hard, feeling highly uncomfortable at being so exposed, and quickly moved to the edge of the bed, taking a seat.

"Why do dwarves have to be so nosy!" she gasped aloud. Closing the door and glaring at the floor. Thorin regarded her with a curious look but said nothing, knowing that she would soon explain herself, and indeed she did. "What is it with you lot asking 'how d'ya sleep? Was it ok? What is this, the Spanish inquisition? Can't a girl just go and make some breakfast without being bombarded with 20 questions. I feel like a contestant on QI for goodness sake!"

"Anya, I haven't the foggiest clue of what on earth you are talking about" he chuckled lightly, not understanding the words in which Anya was expressing herself. Anya sighed, knowing this, and turned to face the male noticed his lack of clothing.

"I Uh- sorry..." she said, her train of thought completely disappearing.

"You were saying?" he prompted, raising an eyebrow.

"That I uh, you're um… Oh, forget it. I had enough of dwarves, im going to have a bath…" She stuttered, looking everywhere but him and stormed into the washroom without hesitating another moment and the dwarf king sat stunned as she did so. She truly was a strange woman.

~.~.~.~

And so, the hours passed into days, and the days into three weeks, until young Kili had successfully and completely recovered from the injury and poison. Thorin was relieved to say the least. He had demanded that Beorn hold a celebration, not only for his nephew's recovery, but in thanks of both his and Oin's talents in getting him better. Fili of course had not left his siblings side; come to think of it, neither did the dwarf king. During that time together, the line of Durin had the opportunity to spend some much needed time together, and, without the knowledge of the company, Thorin had allowed Fili to express himself and the stony hard king found himself a resting place for his weeping heir whom took to comforting himself in the arms of the king. All was done, however, in secrecy. Not that neither of them were embarrassed, but Thorin knew how much it meant to Fili that the others see him and strong being the next in line to the throne of Erebor.

The topic of Anya and Thorin however was still a secret. All knew, of course, that he was courting the woman, but they still remained oblivious to the fact that they had been united with one another and were both engaged. On several occasions the human woman inquired of Thorin about when the right time was to inform the others, but time and time again he put it off, and it began to frustrate Anya, silently. She wanted to make it known, to make it official, but something was holding the regal dwarf back, and she wanted to know why.

The company enjoyed one another's company. Dwalin had come to know the 'ri' brothers quite well during their stay in the shape-shifters house, and had come accustomed to protecting the youngest of the 'ri' brothers; master Ori. Ori had shown Dwalin the wonders of journaling and Dwalin had taken time to show Ori the art of combat, and within three days the young dwarf had mastered sword fighting, much to the distaste of his older brother Dori. Bilbo, being the ever social hobbit he was became very good friends with the jolly Bofur and the bulbous Bombur; after all, they three had a love for the art of cooking, and found themselves most days preparing the foods in which all would consume.

Gandalf however, was still the mischievous wizard he always was, and Beorn and the company found themselves lacking the presence of the old man on many occasions; disappearing here then showing up there. And whenever he did reappear he always had news of some sort, that grasped the others attentions greatly.

And now, of course, as where else would you find a merry gathering of dwarves; the company sat around the dining table enjoying their last scrumptious meal and intake of good ole' mead before they resumed their quest the following morning. Anya sat, red faced at the table and earnestly shovelled luscious meats into her mouth. Thorin sat tall, well as tall as he could in his chair and surveyed the scene before him, feeling suddenly underwhelmed knowing that this picture may been few and far between after tomorrow. It had dawned on him then that after all the time spent in Beorns home, he had not thought about the quest and all it entailed and the thought of fighting, and battles and Erebor came at him like a flood. Swallowing down the urge to vomit, the king turned his attention to his fiancé beside him and watched with confusion as she ate eagerly; but it was not her eagerness to eat that confused him, but exactly WHAT she was eating. Leaning down to her ear level he whispered "Anya, you do realize what you are consuming, do you not?"

"Food…" Came her sarcastic reply, earning a smirk from the black haired dwarf.

"My dear, you are an acclaimed 'vegetarian'… you are clearly eating meat" came his amused reply and slowly the realisation hit her and she placed down the fork in her hand that had pork on the end and stared with shock at the plate.

"Oh my days… I've just, I've just had such a craving for it. I don't know why. For about a fortnight now I've been shovelling this into my gob… It's so weird. And normally I love strawberries and apples, but the thought of eating them makes me want to be sick" She answered, and cocked her head to the side to regard Thorin.

"That is strange, but they say that over time, things change; perhaps coming to this world and spending time here, your appetite has changed" he offered as an explanation and Anya accepted it, thinking nothing of her current situation.

"Yeah, you're probably right. Im going to eat as much as I can tonight seeing as we are off tomorrow."

"Yes, you better had" Agreed the king of Erebor.

"What about you, you have not eaten much tonight" Anya stated, tucking her no longer completely brown locks behind her ears. The blonde that had begun to come through had now grown down as far as her ears, giving her hair a slight strange appearance of half brown half blonde; something the company found completely amusing to look at.

"I do not seem to have an appetite, though it appears you are consuming enough for the both of us" Thorin chuckled as a sudden whoosh of emotions overtook Anya and her eyes watered with tearful anger and she glared at the dwarven king.

"Are you calling me fat?!" She shouted

"Of course not!" Thorin said back with his calm, regal tones, frowning at the sudden burst of emotions.

"I hope not! Because im not fat, not at all; I just have a healthy appetite for a woman my size! I can't believe you!"

"Anya, I think you should calm down" Thorin spoke once more in his soothing tone, ignoring the curious glances of a few of the company members including the host and the wise wizard.

"Are you saying im over-reacting?" She gasped and picked up the handkerchief that was on her lap and threw it on her plate, standing up. "Are you telling me to shut up? To calm down when you clearly just called me fat?"

"Anya, what has gotten into you? You are rather emotional this evening" Thorin said more sternly now, gazing at the woman in front of him.

"If I want to eat it, I will!" She snapped, and grabbed her plate before hurrying from the room toward her bedroom, flustered. Thorin sat, completely stunned at the conversation that just happened and could not help but feel completely confused. He had never seen Anya with such an appetite and such an attitude. Falling back into his seat, Thorin sighed and shook his head.

"Women…" He muttered and closed his eyes. Beorn watched the whole thing pan out with a large smirk on his face, but kept him mouth shut, thinking that Thorin and the company had a lot to deal with in the next few weeks to come; but he was not one to gossip or tell tales, so just picked up his tankard and took a large swig.


	17. Chapter 17

"What was all that about?" Thorin questioned, walking into the silent room, eyeing the woman sitting on the bed, closing the door after himself. Anya sat hunched; her knees pulled up to her chest and her arms wrapped around them. Thorin stalked cautiously towards the bed and regarded the silent woman and the empty plate that was beside her. "Anya?" he persisted and watched as the woman slowly looked up at him with red eyes, indicating that she had been crying. Thorin felt a stab in his chest at the sight and approached her from the side, coming to sit in front of her on the bed. Thorin placed his large hands atop Anya's and looked with a frown at her face. "I apologise if I upset you in the dining hall; it was not my intention..."

"You didn't... It's true though, I am fat..." Anya sniffled.

"Anya, you do not look like Bombur in the slightest! You are rather thin actually" Thorin said sternly, staring into his loves red eyes.

"Then why is my stomach like, a few centimetres bigger? Because I've been stuffing my face like a greedy git that's why!" the woman snapped and leant backwards against the headboard, lifting her shirt up, pointing to her stomach to emphasise it. "Look! I have a little pot belly!" Thorin regarded her exposed skin in that moment with a slight blush upon his cheeks. Indeed there was a slight change, but not enough to be incredibly noticeable.

"It is hardly 'fat' is it Anya?" he remarked, pulling his eyes away from her stomach, back to her sore eyes. "Besides, it is the dwarfish custom for the women to be quite meaty. You won't see a thin dwarf lass in Erebor or the Blue Mountains"

"but I am not a dwarf!"

"You are going to marry one" Thorin dryly stated; this irritated Anya was suddenly wearing on his nerves.

"Well I'm not fattening myself up for you..." Anya spoke, and turned her face away from his, pulling down her shirt in the process. The woman glanced down at the plate beside her and her stomach rumbles loud enough for both of them to hear. Anya sheepishly glanced up at a clearly amused king and blushed. "... I uh, do you... Um, could you fetch me something from the kitchen, to eat?" at this Thorin frowned at her and stood to his feet.

"Perhaps you have worms... You ARE eating an awful lot Anya, and consuming meat is not like you"

"I don't have worms; I'm not a dog"

"humans can have it too, woman. I shall return, I am going to fetch Oin"

"I don't need to see him, there's nothing wrong! Oh, and don't forget to pick up something from the kitchen!" she shouted after him as he disappeared through the door with haste. Several moments later, Oin, the king's physician entered the room with a warm smile, with Thorin just behind, without food, she noticed. Anya sighed and crossed her arms against her chest as she sat on the bed.

"What seems to be the problem lass?" Oin inquired, coming to stand beside the woman on the bed.

"Nothing is wrong with me" she protested, but rather to Thorin than the healer dwarf. Sighing, the dwarf king tuned his attention to the old dwarf and spoke authoritatively.

"I think she may have worms, or a stomach bug of some sort. We are leaving tomorrow and I want to know if she is healthy enough to do so Oin"

"Aye my lord. Ok lass, can yer lift up yer shirt so I can see yer stomach?" Oin replied, moving closer to Anya. Glaring at Thorin, Anya lifted her shirt to reveal her stomach and quickly Oin surveyed the shape of it. He glanced toward the dwarf king a moment then returned his attention back to the stomach. He was silent for some time. Then, gently he pressed the sides of her stomach feeling the rather tight skin as if it were bloated or... "My lord; why do you think she may have worms?" he asked as he continued to examine her abdomen.

"She eats more than she used to and consumes meat of all things! The thought of fruit and vegetables turns her stomach" the regal male commented and the glare in Anya's eyes never left him.

"Hmmm..." Oin responded which left both in confusion.

"What is it?" Thorin demanded, stepping forward. Oin ignored the king and looked up at the woman.

"Lass, when was the last time you bled?" he asked and Anya blushed a terrible red.

"About six years ago..." she replies dully and both Thorin and pin looked at her with wide open eyes in shock and she continued. "They stopped when I was 14. The doctors... I mean, physicians said I had a Failure within my ovaries which prevented me from bleeding and also... Conceiving." at the last word she looked at Thorin to get his reaction. Would he still want her if she could not conceive? If she could not bare him a child? But there was not rejection in his eyes, only sympathy.

"Well lass... My lord, I must ask, and please forgive mentor treading on such delicate matters, but it is vital I know... Have you led with one another?" Anya swallowed frightfully as she looked at the man she did indeed lay with and watched him as he faced the older dwarf with a cold expression. "Rest assured my lord, that whatever is discussed in this room, will stay in this room."

"Yes" was all Thorin said his tone hard and his expression almost matching. Oin nodded and paused a moment before continuing.

"And, may I ask, how long ago?" spoke Oin. It was Anya's turn to reply, and she stared at the covers as she did so.

"The first night we stayed here"

"that is almost a month..." Oin pondered and returned his attention back to Anya's exposed stomach, humming as he looked her over. "I am not new to this, for I have aided many a human and dwarf woman in the Blue Mountains and of course Erebor, so I know for a fact that when I say, you are with child, it is indeed true. Your appetite, your emotions and the shape of your lower stomach; lass, you are indeed with child"

"no, can't be... The doctors said it would not be possible; that I would never have my own children" Anya fumbled over her words, her eyes watering in sheer panic and fright. Thorin however retreated into himself and stayed silent, unmoving and blank. Slowly he stepped away from the bed until he stood by the wall opposite it. He closed his arms against his chest and stared at the floor. "You've got this wrong" Anya protested but Oin shook his head.

"I'm afraid not lass, I've seen plenty of pregnant stomachs and highly emotional women with strange cravings to know that you are indeed with child. I think a congratulations is in order. And to you my-" Oin was about to address Thorin, thinking him to be beside the bed, but was surprised to see him standing at the other side of the room against the wall "my lord?"

"Leave us, if you would Oin. Speak not of this to another living soul, is that understood? I will come in search of you when needed. Thank you for your time" came Thorin's cold reply and Oin cast a sympathetic look at Anya before obeying the king's commands and left the room. Anya felt a sickness creep up inside her as she watched the still figure in the room glare at the floor. Did he detest her now? She posed threat to his quest and so, perhaps he did, she thought. The woman could not help but shed a tear. Quickly she pulled down her shirt once more and pulled her knees to her chest. Wrapping her arms around them and resting her cheek on them she gently rocked herself. Thorin glanced up at the curled up, whimpering form and he too felt sick. Approaching her with an expression as icy cold as a winter's night, Oin's words bombarded his mind. Feeling the bed beside her bend a little as Thorin sat beside her; Anya lifted her head and turned her face towards him. But he did not look at her, he just looked up ahead, and it terrified her.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry" she blurted out and put her face in her hands, crying slightly louder. This pulled Thorin out of his stunned haze and he just looked at the woman with sad eyes, not knowing whether to comfort her or just stay silent. "I'm sorry for ruining your quest! I'm sorry!" Anya felt herself being pulled against Thorin, and her head gently rested on his shoulder.

"There is nothing to apologise for..." he spoke, placing a kiss on her head.

"I understand if you hate me now, because I've ruined everything. This stupid baby and-"

"do not let me hear you speak those words on your lips again!" Thorin snapped loudly and the intensity of the growl in his voice made her shiver.

"Then why are you not happy about this? You are making me feel like I've disgraced you; like this child and ruined everything. Can't you at least smile? You haven't said anything remotely happy since Oin said I'm carrying your child!" Anya growled back and pushed him away. Quickly she slid from the bed and to her feet. She stood as tall as a Homunculus could, and she stared at the man upon the bed. "SAY SOMETHING!" she shouted, her fists at her sides turning White as she clenched then tight with all her might.

"I am happy..." his strangely weak reply came.

"Then why don't I believe you? Oh just shoot me and get it over with. This is obviously something you did not want from me. Is it because I'm a human and you're a dwarf and that your kid isn't going to be a dwarf? Or is it because of the quest? It is isn't it? Well I'm sorry, but this isn't just my fault!" Anya yelled in fury, not realising that she was now clutching her stomach.

"Keep your voice down woman!" Thorin snarled in return and stood to his feet also. "I am not ashamed nor am I disgusted by the situation. You do not repel me and the quest is not the issue..."

"Then what is it?! Why are you not happy?!"

"Im going to be a father Anya and you have no idea how much that terrifies me!" Thorin said through gritted teeth; his stony hard shell cracking in an instant leaving him bare for all to see, and he hated it, hated how exposed and weak he felt. Taking a deep breath, the dark haired male held onto the headboard of the bed and steadied himself. "… I have not known a father figure; a father I had, yes, but he was never around, always away on business for the king, my grandfather or for other matters of the state. It was something my siblings and I were accustomed too. When I was old enough to realise his absence for what it was, Erebor was attacked and he was taken from me. And then, my brother was taken along with my brother in law and I had to become a father figure to those poor boys out there. I could not love them as a father should! I spent my days in the forge and my night planning the return to Erebor; I was still a young lad myself. How then, can I raise this poor child, if I could not do so for my own nephews? I know not how to be a father; I only know how to be a leader, a king.

"Being a father is not something that is passed on from male to male Thorin, you learn from experience. I don't know how to be a mother, but im going to have to learn when this kid comes" Anya spoke more softly, regarding him with loving eyes. "You're not your father, Thorin; you will be there for the baby"

"How can you be certain of that? If this quest succeeds then I will be crowned king, I will have a realm to rule, a city to rebuild; what time will I have for the child then? When all is restored and live has returned to normal, I will have things required of me; kingly duties. I could be asked to go here and there and it would be expected of me to go, as king of Erebor. What kind of father will I be?" Thorin explained and sat on the bed, his face in his hands. "I would not make a decent father, not one that an heir to the throne would require at least."

"What are you saying? You want me to get rid of it?" Anya said in disbelief; bile threatened to explode in her throat.

"Of course not, I would never ask you to do such a thing; it is a life after all."

"I am confused then Thorin. You don't want me to get rid of it, but you are making it plain that you can't be its father; what am I supposed to do? Please, tell me. I can't go through another rejection; please say you will keep us both" Anya begged, dropping to her knees, crying as she felt her heart tear. Thorin glanced up at the sound of a thud and rushed over to her. Dropping to his own knees, Thorin cupped her face in his hands and lifted her face so that he could look into her eyes.

"I am not letting either of you go, know that for certain woman. When dwarves lay claim to something, it is for life, and I have claimed you as my wife and so you will remain. And now, I have claimed your body and this child is the outcome; my responsibility, my blood. I will keep you both and I will do my best to not follow in my father's footsteps and will raise this child in the right way. I cannot promise, but I will be by its side and yours as often as I can spare time. Do not think for a second, woman, that I would be so hasty to reject you both after such news. Granted, I have not given the expected reaction to such news, and for that I am truly sorry. It truly is a blessing that you have conceived my child, and that does please me greater than all the gold in Erebor. I would ask that you accept my humble apology Anya. I am not my father, and I realise that; I will strive to become my own man and a father to that child and my poor nephews to the best of my abilities" Anya, in that moment, pounced forward and wrapped her arms around the dwarf kings neck and held on tight. But the force of the impact was so strong that both were knocked to the floor and Anya lay across the dark haired male upon the floor.

"I love you" She whispered against his ear in a purr and Thorin grinned, unaware that warm tears trickled down his cheeks. She had cracked his coldness, his shield, and in that moment, he cared not.

"And I love you, my petite human" He replied and Anya felt her heart jump as Thorin verbally said that he loved her for the first time in their relationship. "I think, perhaps, given the circumstances, it is time to inform the others of all. We cannot hide your stomach for much longer as you grow" nodding her head in agreement, Anya shuffled from the man on the floor and stumbled to her feet; Thorin following straight after. Taking her hand in his, Thorin led her to the door and from the room, feeling slightly unsteady and utterly exposed. Walking toward the dining room, Thorin returned to hiding behind his emotionless barrier and straightened his back and hardened his features. As the sight of his men came into view, the son of Thrain let go of Anya's hand and came to a halt at the end of the table. The company fell silent at the sight of their king looking so broody, and all felt a slight worry as they thought he may announce that they would depart that evening. Pausing a moment, Thorin looked to his side and beckoned Anya to come to his side. As she did so, Thorin looked back at his men and began to speak. "I have something to inform you all, that perhaps should have been done much soon; but given the situation with Kili, I did not deem it appropriate. It has come to all of your attention that Anya and I have been courting, however, almost a month ago, it was agreed that she would take my hand in marriage…" Before Thorin could finish, the company cheered in an uproar and Thorin could not supress the slight grin that tugged at the corner of his mouth. Raising his hands to silence them, he continued "… and as we are returning on our quest on this coming morn, it deemed wise also, to inform you all that, by the grace and blessings of Mahal, Anya is with child" not expecting such a response, Thorin was quite surprised to hear an even louder cheer and bashings of goblets against tankards. The dwarf king instantly searched for his nephews face and found Fili looking back at him with such love, such happiness it greatly touched him inside. As if on cue, the blonde dwarf picked up his tankard and rose to his feet.

"To the King under the mountain and his soon to be wife and heir; may you experience blessings in every step of your lives together? I am so, so very happy for you Uncle, and you of course dear Anya!" Fili spoke and the others agreed with the princes words with another bought of cheer. Thorin nodded at his nephew, still maintaining his regal stature.

"Well this news has truly made this journey worth fighting for; this child to come will need a home!" Gandalf spoke merrily and pointed to Anya's stomach and all the dwarves agreed nosily. Oin watched on in glee as the king, the normally cold king, spoke such beautiful truths that made all his sternness disappear in a puff of smoke.

"What a joyous moment this is!" Bilbo exclaimed his pipe in hand. Beorn sat in the corner of the room; the smirk that etched across his face for the whole stay of the dwarves now grew an extra inch or so; he knew he was right indeed. Kili got up from the chair in which he sat in and left the band of merry making dwarves and came to his uncle's side, placing a hand upon his arm.

"Thank you for waiting until I was well enough to hear such tremendous words. If anyone deserves such a thing as this, it is you Uncle. You will make an excellent father, if how you raised us is anything to go by" Kili spoke and this caught Thorin by surprise.

"What?" Thorin said under his breath, ignoring the smirk on Anya's face as she listened.

"I said you will make an excellent father, Thorin" He repeated and was confused at the expression on the king's face. "You were the closest thing to a father that Fili and I ever had, after not having much time with father before he passed. I would never change a thing. If it weren't for you, we would not be the dwarves we are today, and I am eternally grateful for that, as is Fili and mother; whom has said such things to us many times. I know mother would be greatly enthusiastic and ecstatic to hear such a thing as we have now."

"I did not know that you and your brother held such high opinions of me" Thorin replied honestly, looking at his youngest nephew with shimmering eyes, not caring if the company were in the same room, but slightly thankful that they were not privy to this conversation.

"How could we not?" Kili snorted, the ever familiar cheeky grin splattered across his face. "No matter the fact that you are my mother's brother, and that I still have memories of my father, I will always regard you and my Uncle, friend and father."

"That is truly a beautiful thing to say Kili"

"It is not beauty I speak of, but truth." Thorin grinned then and rested his head against Kili's as was the custom of the dwarvish race.

"Thank you Kili, my sister-son" Thorin whispered and he felt Kili smile and pull away.

"A pleasure as always" he replied and walked away, joining his brother once more in the continuing merry making. Anya walked to Thorin's side, watching the others and spoke quietly to him.

"See, you will be a great father"

"It seems so" Thorin agreed and looked down at the slightly shorter woman with a grin.

"Thorin?"

"Yes, dear Anya?"

"… Im still hungry…"


	18. Chapter 18

The remainder of the evening consisted of great merry making, feasting as much as their small bodies could consume, and drank until words became mere noises. Anya had retired early after eating somewhat too much, and found that the thought of a feather pillow beneath her head was more than desirable. Thorin stayed with his men and nephews, taking in their faces and their laughter with a sting in his heart; knowing that this would become a seldom occurrence in the time to come. Perhaps it would be seen as torture, what he was doing sitting there, watching, but Thorin could not rake himself from it. It was as if he needed to see his men happy, carefree and content so that it served as a reminder that if this quest succeeded, this is the sight he would look upon until the day old age claimed him. He had thought perhaps, that he should join Anya being as it was their last night together in a warm home and in a comfy bed, but he just could not seem to be able to pull himself away from his men. Well, it was that way until one by one the slightly drunk and over fed males stumbled their way back to their rooms, instantly dropping to their beds. Thorin was left with just Mr Baggins as Gandalf had long gone to rest his head and Beorn disappeared outside as he normally did in the evenings. The hobbit looked exhausted as he held his pipe by his mouth and his eyes stared into the golden flames of the fire. Thorin watched him. He realised that since the day Bilbo almost got himself killed in the process of saving his live, he had not spoken to the hobbit properly. His whole time had been consumed with Anya and Kili and this made him feel slightly guilty for casting the one who saved his life, aside. His features softening, Thorin Rose and strode over to the hobbit by the fire, taking the small couch opposite him. He too pulled out his pipe, although he very rarely smoked at all, and stuffed it with some old toby which the wizard had kindly given the dwarves. Lighting it and taking a small puff, the dwarven king continued to watch the hobbit. Bilbo felt a set of eyes upon him, and it was not until he turned his head that he realised all the dwarves had left and that the king sat opposite him, looking at him with an expression he could not read. "Thorin" Bilbo registered and nodded his head toward him.

"Tell me Bilbo, why do you sit here awake when all have retired for this evening?" Thorin asked, his Luscious deep tones reverberated around the room.

"I just wished to stay awake a little longer I suppose, though honestly, I did not realise that it was so late and that all had gone to bed. But I could ask the same of you I suppose" was Bilbo's reply. Thorin smirked around the pipe in his mouth and nodded his head to the side which indicated something along the lines of 'touché'.

"I wished to see the men off to bed before I lay me head to rest this evening" explained the son of Thrain.

"Then why have you not retired? They have all retired" Bilbo questioned, raising an inquisitive eyebrow.

"Because not all of my men have retired; you are a member of this company, are you not?" Thorin replied, taking a long puff of old Toby, regarding the small being. Bilbo nodded with a smile and sat forward in his chair, still admiring the dancing flames, feeling as though he were at home.

"Thank you Thorin, for accepting me into your company" Bilbo announced and faced the weary looking king.

"I would not have it any other way master Baggins" he  
Spoke and held his pipe as he stood to his feet. "Are you coming?"

"I'm going to stay here, watch the fire for a little while longer I think" Bilbo retorted and the dwarf king regarded the small Halfling a moment longer, before nodding at him. Quickly her turned away from Bilbo after bidding him good night and made for the room which Anya led asleep in. As he reached the door and pushed it open, he found Anya sitting on the bed, back against the head board, and head hanging as she slept. She obviously sat awake, waiting for Thorin to join her and felt asleep during; this, he felt guilty for. Stripping off his fur, shirt, belts and boots; the king stood in just his breeches and made for the bed, constantly eyeing the woman sleeping in a sitting position. As he slid under the covers, ants immediately snapped from her sleeping state and groggily eyed the dark haired dwarf.

"Go back to sleep" he whispered to her and the woman shuffled toward Thorin, wrapping her arm across his torso and resting her head on his shoulder. Thorin could not suppress his smirk and looked down and the tired woman, who stared into the distance with a blank expression and weary eyes. "Anya, sleep. You are clearly shattered." Thorin spoke gently after noticing the woman still sat awake. Anya shook her head in protest like a child and buried her face in the crook of Thorin's neck. "Anya-" he warned, but most amuses at the situation he found himself in. His pregnant fiancé had become a child in the matter of moments and the dwarf king chuckled lightly. "Anya, I think you should get some rest" the son of Thrain took hold of the woman's arm that wrapped around his torso and tried to pry it away, but Anya did not give up and held onto him tightly.

"no-" she spoke, and shook her head, her words slurring in tiredness.

"we have an early start in the morn; it would be wise" he spoke, his voice steady as he watched the woman pull away and look at him with dilated eyes. Thorin swallowed as he stared into her pools of colour and both stayed frozen like that for many moments until Anya leant forward and placed her soft lips against Thorin's, surprising him greatly. Anya continued to kiss the dwarven king and moved so that she came to sit in his lap, never breaking the kiss. Thorin sighed into the embrace and wrapped his arms around her back, holding her close to him. "Woman, you worry me; the hold you have over me. My mind fails me when your lips touch my own. I cannot function as I should when you very scent fills my nostrils. You are like an intoxicating drug that I cannot break free from." he breathed lusciously, breaking away from the kiss, gazing into her eyes.

"I'm not tired" she replied, running her hands through the kings dark locks playfully.

"I can't see that now" Thorin smirked, looking over his fiancé, his eyes then resting on the small bump upon Anya's stomach.

"To know that my child is growing inside of you... It is... It makes me feel. Oh confound it! Nor can I speak around you. I am no longer the same, and it is worrying" he replied, his tone becoming serious as he felt ashamed of the weakness showing in front of this woman; his emotional barriers long gone.

"You should not feel worried or upset, Thorin. It's good that you are showing your feelings to me. Now, what were you saying?" she answered lovingly, staying her hands and looked patiently at the man she loved. Thorin sighed and kept his gaze down, remaining on her stomach.

"... I feel so proud to know that you carry my child; I fell that I have finally achieved something worthwhile in my life" he admitted and closed his eyes. Anya cupped the dwarfs face in her hands and frowned at him.

"But you made a new life for your family and friends and your people after your home was attacked. They life safely now; isn't that an achievement to be proud of?" she asked and Thorin looked up solemnly at her.

"That was no achievement, it was duty. I had to find a place for my kin to rebuild their homes and lives. If I did not lead them, they would still wander, or quite the opposite, they may have made lives for themselves anyway. It was no achievement. It is not something I am proud of. I may have done well be my people, but I still felt empty, unaccomplished... Until now. Now, as well as this quest and the hope that our home will be ours once more, I feel proud" he uttered and his eyes shimmered with something Anya was yet to see and it touched her when a single tear trickled down Thorin's cheek. Anya wiped it away with her thumb and captured his lips once more, kissing away his past hurts and self-loathing. Thorin, in that moment, did not care for barriers, nor his status or reputation; as he kissed her back, he let the tears roll down his face and he whimpered against her lips. Anya wrapped her arms tightly around the males next and comforted him as they lovingly kissed. "Anya?" he spoke up, his voice hoarse as he pulled away for a breath.

"Yes? What is it?" she asked quietly, shifting closer to him on his lap.

"Share this last night here, with me" he asked, his eyes bearing into her own and Anya felt heat rise in her cheeks as she processed his words in her mind. She nodded, blushing, and Thorin closed his eyes, exhaling before he leant forward and kissed her, rolling to the side so that she lay on the bed.

Ooo

Morning had broken and the golden rays of sunshine had passed the barriers of the windows and illuminated the rooms in which the dwarves and hobbit slept. The bright lights had broken the company from their slumber and for once, they woke with a happy outlook on the day. All had risen from their beds, washed, dressed and made their way to the breakfast table. Breakfast had been quick but the company ate plenty and had their fill. The farewell was a pleasant one. Master Beorn, the shape shifter gave the dwarves enough food to last them several days if they ate steadily, and a pony each that would lead them as far as the out skirts of mirkwood as he demanded that they be returned to him. Thorin uttered private thanks to the Host as his men packed their bags with the provisions given them. Anya had also taken to thanking Beorn silently with the king and Beorn bade her good health and every success in her pregnancy. After a few more farewells, the company mounted their ponies and trotted from the huge home of the shape shifter, beginning their quest once more.

Ooo

Some hours later when the sun was high in the sky, the company had crossed a fair amount of land, considering that master beorns ponies where slightly slower than their previously owned ones. The forestry had long disappeared and now the landscape was bare and green to the eye; a vast expanse of nothingness, and it dawned on the company that once again, their long journey would take its toll on them. Mirkwood was but a three day ride from the home of Beorn, on horse, so, Thorin gathered, that it would tale perhaps an extra day due to their lack of speed. Four days on the road; the thought of it did not rest well with most of the company, but the prospect of nearing Erebor excited them all greatly. The time seemed appropriate however to take a rest and Thorin spotted an area of gathered boulders on the vast expanse of greenery and he led his steed towards it, lifting his fist up to indicate to the others of his intentions to stop. Thorin dismounted his steed and placed his bags down next to a rock, relishing in the stretch of his legs. The others followed in suit and dismounted their steeds at a rapid pace, eager to move about and stretch their legs. Anya, who looked rather pale, slid from her pony and swayed as she stood on the grass, looking around with confusion as a feeling of nausea flooded through her body. "You alright there lass?" Gloin spoke as he spotted the paling woman. On hearing his words, Thorin turned around to look at his fiancé and spotted the change in her. Frowning, the king walked past his comrades and came to stand in front of the woman; a few of the company looking on curiously as the others took to setting up a fire to make food.

"Anya, are you ok?" he asked curiously with concern. Anya nodded to him, but suddenly placed her hand over her mouth as she wretched. Anya rushed past Thorin and the others and came to a halt by a distant boulder and vomited. The company began to mumble worriedly among themselves at the sudden change in the woman. Anya continued to wretch until a hand gently rubbed her lower back and she felt the nausea slowly fading away. "Is it passing?" Thorin leant over and whispered in her ear, continuing to rub her back soothingly. Thorin had glanced over at the others for them to move along and do something other than watching them. Anya nodded and wiped her mouth, straightening her back.

"Morning sickness..." she grumbled, turning to face the frowning dwarf king.

"Have you experienced it like this before?" he inquired, looking over her paling face.

"No, this is the first time since getting pregnant. I expect it won't be the last. I'm going to get some water to wash my mouth out" she replied, turning away from Thorin toward the camp up ahead, but Thorin caught her arm with his hand before she could walk off. Glancing over her shoulder at him she looked blankly. "What is it?"

"Anya, are you alright... Besides the sickness?" he asked, the heavy tones of his voice reverberating around her ears.

"Yes, why?" she answered, looking at him with an unphasing expression.

"You have not spoken to me since last night... Did you- was it unpleasant for you? Is that why you remain short or silent with me? I would have you tell me"

"I enjoyed last night Thorin, don't worry yourself unnecessarily" came her short reply and once again she tried to walk away, but was stopped.

"Then why is the atmosphere suddenly cold between us? I said I was sorry for my reaction concerning you being with child, and I meant it. What have I done?" he snapped a little, pulling her closer to him, glaring at her.

"It's nothing. Let go of my arm, you're hurting me" she retorted, trying to yank her arm from his grasp. Thorin bared his teeth at her and dropped his hand down at his side. Anya huffed and looked back at the company.

"I understand that your emotions are all over the place and you cannot help it, but I deserve to know if I have committed some crime against you that deems terrible enough to experience such cold responses from you." He snapped at her, his eyes glaring. Anya took a deep breath and replied

"Im going back to the company" and strode over to the others in great speed. Thorin watched her rush away and hissed at her feeling hurt at her sudden behaviour. Not wanting to go back to the others at this current moment without risking the need to argue wth her in the front of the others. Turning away, spotting a lone boulder, Thorin walked over to it and sat upon in. staring out at the vast expanse of greenery, her felt suddenly, so alone. Technically he was as he sat isolated, but emotionally he felt alone. Last night he had shown her just how much he loved her when they shared the bed once more. He put his all into it the night before and he felt it was a waste of time. Anya's attitude towards him had broken that feeling. It was as if she suddenly dispised him after last night. But what coul have caused her to react such a way? He pondered greatly. Closing his eyes, taking in the fresh afternoon air, Thorin began to think of the quest and how it had been so draining on all of them. His heart was heavy . the dwarven king had not realised how long he had been sat there, thinking, staring, mourning, until a great smell of stew attacked in nose and a soft hand touched his arm.

Opening his eyes, Thorin glanced up and eyed his youngest nephew with a weak smile. "Kili" He registered. The young prince grinned at his uncle and handed a bowl of hot food to him. Thorin took it, though he had no apetite, and looked at it with slight disgust.

"What ails you uncle? You seem distant. Why don't you come back to the camp with me?" he inquired but Thorin shook his head.

"Nothing is wrong Kili. You go on along back to the camp; I am content with sitting here for a while" spoke the dark haired leader.

"Forgive me Uncle, but I may be young in years, but I am no fool. Something clearly ails you. Why will you not speak with me? I can see the weariness in your eyes and the way you back is slouched… you know, you said to me once that no matter what was ailing me, I could confide in you and you would do the best to help me. How can I do thank Uncle, how can YOU do that if you cannot open up to me?" Kili spoke with irritation. Thorin shot his eyes towards Kili and glared greatly.

"Hold your tounge Kili, you know not what you speak of! Go, back to the camp"

"I care Uncle, believe it or not" Kili retorted and walked away solemnly. Thorin exhaled and closed his eyes, feeling that suddenly all odds were against him and all he could do was disappoint people. Feeling his hands go limp, Thorin tossed the bowl of soup to the floor and buried his face in his hands feeling suddenly utterly useless.

Ooo

"Why is he over there?" Fili asked his brother as he came to sit beside him, looking into the distance at his uncle.

"He will not say, though he is clearly upset about something. Tis strange; neither he nor Anya have spoken much this day. Perhaps cross words have been said?" commented Kili and the blonde dwarf looked at him with curious eyes.

"I do not think it would be good to speculate; it did not o well for you last time brother" Fili spoke playfully.

"I thought mother was in pain Fili, what was I supposed to think with al the-?" Kili blushed, looking at his hands in embarrassment. "Of course I would have rushed to her aid"

"I think mother was mortified when you rushed into her room. I think she hoped for the ground to open up and swallow her whole" chuckled Fili, eyeing the blush in his brother's face.

"All right brother, all right. I'd rather not think about it. It gave my nightmares beyond belief back then; I don't want it to start again. Anyway, I won't say anything about Uncle to anyone; I do not fancy his wrath"

"Indeed, Thorin is not one to cross when he broods so" Fili chuckled and tapped his brother's arm. "He will sort it out when he sees fit. He always does. Do not worry about it."

Ooo

"everything alright lass?" a soft voice whispered in anyas ear and she glanced up from her sitting position on the floor to regard the lovely Balin. The White haired male joined her on the floor and nodded to the untouched bowl of, now cold, stew in her hands. "you have not touched it. Perhaps to should; after all, you are feeding two mouths now my dear. What is it?"

"I- I think- I've acted wrongly against thorin. I feel terrible" she replied, her eyes brimming with tears as she looked sorrowfully at the wise dwarf.

"why, may i ask?" Balin inquired his eyes soft and unjudgemental.

"I just felt angry with him. I do not understand why. We shared a night last night for goodness sake..." Anya sudden trailed of in embarrassment as she just realised she told Balin that they had both slept together the previous night. Clearing her throat, knowing her face had turned another shade darker, she sighed and begun once more. "... He was trying to comfort me, and it bugged me like you can't imagine. It make my skin crawl to have him comfort me. Is this normal?"

"you are currently with child, my dear. Your emotions are bound to be all over the place" Balin offered as an explanation, casting a comforting smile toward her.

"he didnt deserve it. I- I think I will go and apologise to him..." the woman spoke, scrambling to her feet, handing the elder dwarf her bowl of stew.

"at least eat first lass" Balin tried to reason.

"I wont have an appetite until I know all is well between us Balin. He's on his own over there. I'm just going to speak with him. But keep my stew for me? I am hungry" and with that, the small human made her way past chattering dwarves to the lone one a little father away on the single boulder. As she approached she noticed the dwarven king with his face hidden in his hands and his bowl of stew spilt along the grass. He had clearly been upset by the whole thing. Swallowing hard, Anya came to a halt at his side and placed her lips on his brow. Thorin did not move. Instead he sat rigid and exhaled even louder than usual. "thorin..." she breathed against his head "... I am so sorry. I don't know why I- I wish I didn't act the way I did"

"why did you?" his hoarse, deep voice crackled against his hands and Anya felt sudden shame as she looked at him and listened to the way he spoke.

"I don't know; I'm not making excuses. I haven't felt like this since... Since the whole thing with ryan" she retorted and sst beside him. Reaching out she took one of his hands and pulled it from his face. "thorin, look at me. I'm sorry I treated you like that, really. You must believe that I didn't mean it" thorin slowly withdrew his hand from the grasp of his fiancees and Rose to his feet.

"pack you things, we are leaving" he said, changing the subject; feeling to hurt to talk with her. It pained him even more to know that she did what she did and spoke the way she did for no reason. So, for the hour he had been torturing himself, besting himself up whilst thinking of all this things he could have committed against her to receive such treatment when in fact he did nothing at all. It was her. She could have saved him this hurt and saved him from the run in with his youngest nephew. Shaking his head in disbelief, the king under the mountain left her side and strode over to the others. "pack up men, were leaving"

"already?" nori inquired with a whiny tone.

"we are leaving" came Thorins dark reply which commanded that no one ask again, and indeed, no one spoke another word. The atmosphere became suddenly chilled.


	19. Chapter 19

As evening drew close the silent company had made a good distance. Unfortunately that had meant they would soon need to say farewell to their steeds; after all they were on loan to them from Beorn. If they looked hard enough in the darkness, the outskirts of the green wood, now known as mirkwood was identifiable. This thought passed through Thorin in a shudder, leaving a bitter aftertaste. The dwarven king had been silent since their departure in the early afternoon. He spoke to no one, especially not to Anya. He could not face her, not at the moment. And so, he stayed up ahead of all the others, forever thinking of their next step of their journey; Erebor being the final destination. The grey wizard whom had become even more mysterious if that be possible, had joined Thorin in the front of the company and the company themselves looked on curiously at what appeared to be a very in-depth conversation between them both. Thorin could be seen nodding his head one moment and shaking it the next. Gandalf however, used his free hand to emphasise his points. When it was clear that the wizard had finished speaking, the black haired dwarf lowered his head. This gesture grew worry in the stomachs of all, but none dared speak. That was of course, until Gandalf came to a halt and dismounted his steed. "We will stop for the night" he spoke and the others looked among each other with confusion. Why was this wizard giving orders? Thorin remained with his back to them as he jumped from his steed and silently began to remove his baggage from his pony. The others repeated the same action and could not suppress it any longer and began to mumble amongst themselves. Bilbo had taken this opportunity to walk past the chattering dwarves and the silent woman and made his way over to the wizard. "Gandalf, what's going on?" he asked quietly, nodding his head toward Thorin.

"Nothing for you to worry about my dear hobbit. Have you removed your belongings from the pony?" the wizard answered.

"I have, but I don't- why won't you answer me?" asked the hobbit incredulously. "The company is far beyond confused"

"Master Baggins, it is not for me to discuss matters that the leader of this company deems personal"

"At least tell me if it is about Anya, I would hate to think that something was dreadfully wrong between them"

"Inquisitive hobbits..." the wizard mumbled in annoyance "... No master Baggins, it is something more personal than Anya. I would suggest to keep this to yourself and leave Thorin be for the evening. It will not do you well to approach him this moment" as the wizard wandered, the hobbit thought of what could possibly be wrong with Thorin. What had they discussed? He knew something was a little of between him and Anya, but the wizard said it was nothing to do with that. What then? Was it about the quest? Was it about the elven realm in the distance? Was Thorin Ill? All these thoughts plagued the Halflings mind as he stared at the back of the kings head.

"What's wrong with him?" a feminine voice came beside him. Bilbo broke from his trance and looked at the pale woman.

"Gandalf would not tell me"

"It's about me I think"

"He reassured me that is was not. Something is wrong. Whatever they were talking about... It is affecting him" Bilbo finished speaking with a rather melancholy tone. He had been concerned for the dwarven king since when the stopped and the growing look f worry on Anya's face made the feeling of dread spread through him at an even faster pace.

"I think I will speak with him…" Anya began and was about to walk away until the small hobbit reached out his hand and stayed her.

"Perhaps it would be wise to leave him alone for a while. He is not one to cross when mad or upset, even if you are his lover" offered the Halfling. Anya looked longingly over at the quiet dwarf but nodded at Bilbo's words. She knew he was right and so, both walked away towards the others, praying that Thorin would be ok for the remainder of the evening.

As it was, he remained silent. He refused to eat or drink and declined all offers from the others to join them near the fire. It was not long when the dwarves took to giving up with the leader of the company and left him be. It was decided that he would take first watch as he was wide awake and showed no signs of tiredness. This, he agreed to. The company rested their heads for the evening but Thorin refused to close his eyes lest he be tormented by his past memories. Thorin sat in silence, staring out into the darkness of the trees whilst the others slept peacefully. He had not spoken a word since all had stopped for the evening. This caused worry among the company but all stayed silent, not wanting to face the wrath of a brooding dwarf. Nothing had been said as to what was wrong with him. Many had pondered that perhaps a mishap had gone on between both their leader and their female companion. Yet, again nothing was said. When all had rested their heads, the dark haired dwarf took the opportunity to let down his barriers. He was exposed to the world around him now and he allowed stray tears to trickle down his cold cheeks unbeknownst to him of a secret on looker. A pair of brilliant blue eyes looked across at him with concern and pity. All day they had rested on both he and Anya. Knowing that this was the only opportunity given to do something about his concern and curiosity, the blonde haired heir to the throne slowly and quietly scrambled to his feet, away from his brother and made his way over to the quivering dwarf. Coming to a halt beside the solemn leader, Fili placed a gently hand upon his shoulder and squeezed hard, reassuringly. Tearing away from his daze, Thorin glanced up and furiously wiped his eyes, feeling annoyed at being caught in a vulnerable state. Fili remained silent, watching his uncle with sympathetic eyes. "Why are you here and not asleep?" The dwarven king snapped angrily, returning his gaze to the pitch black darkness in the trees.

"I could not sleep. You have been on my mind for some time truth be told uncle. Please, do not cast me away right now. Talk with me. I am no child… not any more. I can hold a decent conversation and I can listen" replied the blonde haired dwarf, coming to a stop in front of Thorin, then bent his knees until he knelt in front of him. Placing his hands on the leader's knees, he stared into the azure blue eyes of his mother's brother. Thorin exhaled loudly and swallowed hard, closing his eyes in weak defeat. His nephew had seen him weeping; how could he hide anything from him now without knowing that he was lying. "Uncle? Thorin? What did the wizard say to you to cause you to become such a reclusive this day? Do not say it is nothing, for I will not take that as an answer"

"Fili-" the black haired dwarf began with a weary tone, feeling too tired to speak even answer his eldest nephew.

"Please Uncle, talk to me"

"I should have known all this time…" Thorin suddenly blurted out, though he kept his face hidden from Fili. "I suppose I was foolish to believe… to trust in such things…"

"In what Uncle, what do you speak of?"

"A few days ago, when we were at that shape-shifters house, Gandalf disappeared for the day, do you remember? He had acted upon the information Radagast, that rather strange fellow, had given him in regards to a necromancer in the old human fortress at Dol Guldur. He… he came across someone he did not expect…"

"Who? Who was it?" Fili answered, intrigued in his uncle's tale, now sitting upon his bottom, his legs crossed. Thorin breathed heavily and flexed his hands then scrunched them into fists. Braving his emotions, he stared back at his nephew and continued.

"… the… the spirit or ghost of my father was there. He took up arms against the wizard, muttering words of the old world in a voice unrecognisable. Gandalf spoke of the evil glint in his eyes; of how he was not the dwarf he once was… that he was, truly, dead" at his last words, Thorin's head drooped and his hair cascaded down his face. "I though, hoped even, that after all this time, he may still be alive… Now I truly am alone"

"You are not alone Uncle, never. We are you family; and do not forget, you still have mother. How can you be alone if you have us?" questioned the heir to the throne, grabbing his uncle's hands in his own. Thorin eyed his nephew and his eyes sparkled with new found tears.

"Be that as it may; I am alone on this quest. Where was my cousin Dain when I called upon him, And what of my other relatives when Erebor fell and we had to rebuild our lives in the Blue Mountains? I was left to do it myself, as I am left to accomplish this quest by myself; to lead you all to a possible defeat"

"If you were alone Thorin, would we, your nephews be on this journey with you, guarding you in life and death; and the others too. If you were alone, would you have a fiancé who is with child… your child? I see a dwarf in front of me whom is more loved and more supported in all his decisions than he realises… and one who is far from loneliness" came Fili's reply.

"You are growing to be wise, young Fili" Thorin said with a hoarse voice.

"And you change the subject whenever you feel uncomfortable or emotional. Can you not see the truth in my words?"

"I see the truth and understand it…" Thorin agreed and sighed "… I have never been one to reveal my emotions; you of all people know this"

"Did you not tell me once that even the greatest king shows emotions and it is he who is truly loved by his people? Why then do you not act on these words? Don't you think that the men would be more responsive to you if you were as such? They trust you and would lay their lives down for you, but they feel they cannot speak of certain things without fear of causing you upset. Let them Uncle, allow all of us to help you, to show you that we care… to show you that you are not alone"

"I will try my boy" Thorin spoke, smiling weakly at his blonde nephew

"If not for me then for your soon-to-be-child" the leader of the company nodded his head in agreement and squeezed Fili's hand in his, thanking him silently for the talk that had just gone one between them. He was thankful to the Gods that it was he, Fili that would take his place as king after his time had finished. He would be a wise ruler, a kind and merciful one and would do the line of Durin proud, and just that thought lightened Thorin's heavy heart.


	20. Chapter 20

"Thorin? Can we talk?" a voice whispered in the darkness among the sleeping bodies of the company. Thorin opened his eyes and turned his head to the side, and gazed upon a tear stained face. The person it belonged to however was not whom he was expecting. The dwarf king swallowed hard and nodded his head, pushing himself up into a sitting position.

"What is it? What is wrong?" his luscious tones whispered in the night, deeply etched with concern.

"I have a terrible feeling of dread circling my heart... I am frightened" came the reply and the son of Thrain frowned, looking deep into the eyes of the fearful one.

"Why, what has happened?" he inquired, searching the surrounding quickly for any sign of threat, but there was none. He returned his gaze to the one speaking.

"Nothing, I just... I am afraid to sleep."

"Kili, you are safe here. You need not fear... What else ails you? I have not seen you in such a state since you were a mere dwarf ling... I am concerned" replied Thorin, moving closer to his younger nephew.

"I keep dreaming of her..." was kili's feeble reply, looking down at his lap in shame.

"Who? Anya?" questioned the dwarf king, completely puzzled by this. But once again he was surprised, for the answer was not what he was expecting.

"No... Mother" whispered Kili and he pulled his knees to his chest like a child would, and he wrapped his arms around them. Thorin could see the hurt, the fear and the innocence in his nephews face and he shuffled to the side even more and gently wrapped his arm around his shoulder, pulling him against him, surprising the young dwarf at the sudden show of affection.

"Your mother is safe Kili; she is protected in the Blue Mountains" Thorin spoke gently.

"I do not fear for her safety... I- I..."

"You miss her" Thorin stated with a small smile.

"You must think that I am such a child, a weakling so much so that I miss my mother, that I have wept a few nights thinking of her. I ask for you forgiveness uncle at showing such weakness" Kili mumbled, sighing loudly. Thorin shook his head and held kilo tighter.

"I think no such thing Kili. You ARE young, so it is obvious you would miss home and your mother. I do not doubt that Fili does too. Even the elder dwarfs feel such things Kili."

"Do you miss mother then?" inquired the young dwarf.

"Of course, my dear boy. I would be heartless if I did not. She is my sister after all" Thorin spoke, his voice low so as to not wake the others. Kili smiled against his uncle.

"I take comfort in knowing that, uncle"

"do not be ashamed of these feelings Kili. Instead, embrace them, for they will fuel your passion to complete our task and bring all home" said the son of Thrain.

"is that what you do, Thorin?"

"I have done since I was your age. It has served me well." Kili smiled once more and then pulled away, glancing up at his uncle.

"Thank you... For comforting me" he said, clearing his throat. Thorin nodded his head with a smile and placed a hand on kili's face.

"Do not worry yourself so, my nephew. No go, rest your head. You are safe, be assured."

"Thank you Thorin." whispered the prince and he slowly and quietly stood and made his way back to his bed roll. Closing his eyes, Thorin tried to relax into a slumber. Finding that he was too wide awake now to personally go back to sleep, the dwarven king also got up and made his way over to Dwalin whom sat on a rock looking out at the area on watch. Thorin came to his side and sat beside the tattooed dwarf, spooking him a little.

"Can't yer sleep?" Dwalin inquired of the king.

"Not now, no. I will take over your watch if that is well with you? You can get some sleep" offered Thorin, his deep tones resounding from his mouth. Dwalin smiled at the offer, and was quite thankful of it, for he felt the need to shut his eyes for some time.

"Thanks Thorin, I'll do just that. Shall I wake up one of the lads to join you or are you content with sitting here alone?" asked the elder dwarf and he watched as his leader shook his head with a smile. "Well, as long as you are sure..."

"I am positive. Go and sleep Dwalin." Thorin commented and the dwarf with the tattoos grunted and stalked off toward his bed roll, ready-made for him by his brother, Balin. Smiling as he watched his old friend walk away, the dwarf king pulled his fur around him tightly, shielding him from the night's cold. It was a quiet night; unnaturally so. This spooked the regal king. Not even sounds of a distant breeze among the trees, nor the rustle of night time animals was heard. There was, bar the sounds of the snoring company, silence, complete and utter silence. It was haunting. The smile quickly fading from his mouth, Thorin swallowed and squinted as he looked through the trees and around the area, expecting to see something. What, he did not know. But the mighty dwarf suddenly felt that the appearance of friend or foe would calm his sudden nerves. "Oh Mahal..." Thorin whispered, holding himself tighter as the chill seemed to lower in temperature. His breath clouded in front of him. Feeling his lips go numb and hear his teeth chattering, the black haired dwarf turned around and looked upon the freezing cold members of his company. As he looked horrified at each face, the dwarf king pulse raced. He shot forward in an instant and stumbled upon the frozen body of his fiancé; her lips and skin blue. Feeling frightful, Thorin turned his gaze to the others and found them the same. "What is going on here?!" Thorin shouted in anger and terror but no reply came. "Get up, all of you!" still, silence.

"They will not answer you..." a dark voice rumbled behind him suddenly. Thorin stood as still as a statue and felt bile rise up in his throat. He knew that voice, but it was years since he had heard it.

"What have you done to them?" came his weak reply.

"I have not done this..." it said again. Plucking up the courage he momentarily lost, the radiant dwarf master turned slowly on the spot and looked upon the face of

"father? This is not possible! The wizard! He spoke of your spirit dwelling in Dol Guldur. You are dead!"

"What does that old man know!" snapped the once dwarf king. Taking a step forward toward Thorin; his appearance illuminated in the moonlight. Thorin sucked in air as he looked at the rotting flesh on his father's face, his left eye completely exposed in the socket. Grabbing his stomach, fighting back the urge to vomit, Thorin allowed a stray tear to trickle down his face. "You would shame your father by showing weakness in the form of tears? Grow up Thorin my boy, there is no wonder why my father's kingdom is under the rule of Smaug If one as such as you is the leader!"

"Father, you know not what you say!" Thorin snapped, braving his tears.

"Your mother and brother's death is on your shoulders and now the destruction of my father's house! You bring shame on the house of Durin. Those poor dwarf lads; how terrible it must have been that you replaced their father."

"Enough! You speak lies. You are not my father! You are not Thrain! You are an imposter" shouted the dwarf king, glaring at the being in front of him.

"You dare raise your voice to me, boy?" he snarled and took a step forward, walloping Thorin across the face with a hardened face. Gasping and clutching his face, Thorin looked wide eyed with shock at his presumed father. "You shame me Thorin" Thrain took a step back and slowly his posture straightened, his bones cracking and popping and his torso lengthened and his face distort. The skin that was on his face ripped as his jaw extended, bribing forth sharper teeth and his fingers extended into points like a handful of knives. The leader of the company whimpered at the gruesome sight and gagged. Thrain's skin began to darken until eventually he was naught but a black mist, hovering in front of the dwarf king. In an instant the mist flew forward in a high pitch scream and enveloped Thorin in a deathly grip. Feeling his breath being knocked from him, Thorin fell to his knees and reached out into the darkness, and for an instant, he was sure he heard someone call his name. As the blackness consumed him more and more, that distant voice grew closer until it was clear as daylight.

"Thorin!" It came in a panic "Wake up! Thorin wake up!" as the words registered, Thorin pushed past the black smoke and felt himself fall into nothingness…

…

"Shake him, see if that will help. He must wake; look at the state of him!" Balin spoke, panicked, staring at the gasping dwarf upon the floor with his soaked brow and pain-filled face. As if hearing the words of the old wise dwarf, the son of Thrain snapped his eyes open in fright and scrambled to a sitting position, looking wildly around at the gathered company staring at their king in great concern. His chest rose and fell at a rapid pace and he looked over his men, noticing with great puzzlement that not one of them was frozen, nor was there a slight hint of coldness. Wiping his head with his hand, the master dwarf inhaled loudly and closed his eyes. "Are you alright laddie? You gave us all a fright" Thorin just nodded and swallowed hard, and then opening his eyes, he gazed at Dwalin with apologetic eyes.

"I am sorry that I fell asleep on watch, my friend" Spoke the son of Thrain. Dwalin frowned and took a step toward his king.

"You were not on watch Thorin. Dori took my place."

"But- I came to you. I relieved you of the nights watch. I remember Dwalin" Thorin protested.

"Uncle-" Kili cut in, crouching down beside the dark haired dwarf and Thorin turned to face his youngest nephew. "You fell asleep shortly after I left your side last night. I made sure that you too took to sleep. You were grunting and shaking in your slumber. I was terrified that something was wrong. I woke the others. We have been trying to wake you for some time. You looked as though you were in pain." His brow furrowing, Thorin shook his head. It felt so real when he took to taking watch after Dwalin. So it was all a dream? Thank the heavens for that, he suddenly pondered. Seeing his men in such a state, seeing his father and hearing his words… it was terrible. "Uncle, are you ok?"

"Are you ok sire?" Ori quipped gently as he continued to watch the confused dwarf look around with a puzzled face, whilst rubbing his head.

"I am..." he responded but it was clear that what had taken place had shaken him. Gandalf and Balin looked at one another with a knowing gaze and silently signed for the others to move away and to give him some space. Quickly moving away, all except Gandalf and Balin remained with the royal dwarf. Anya had woken to the sudden commotion noticing that the sun had barely risen in the sky. She was surprised to see such a vulnerable look upon Thorin's face. He looked worried and frightened all at the same time; his barriers completely broken down. She had wanted to go to him, but after the argument that had gone on between them the day before and the fact that wise Balin had requested that everyone move away, she thought against it and so sat quietly on her own, watching the leader from a distance. Speaking of the White haired wise dwarf, Balin knelt beside his king loyally and placed a hand upon his shoulder with a worried expression splayed across his face.

"Laddie, what has you so shaken up? You look like you have seen a ghost!"

"Perhaps I have..." Thorin whispered solemnly as he moved his attention to his old friend. Dark circles had gathered underneath his eyes and he swallowed painfully hard.

"You speak in riddles Thorin. What do you mean?" Inquired Balin.

"I saw him... I saw my father..." whispered the king, feeling warm tears build up in his eyes. Balin looked on with sympathy and sighed loudly.

"It was naught but a dream Thorin... Your father is no longer in the realm of the living. I'm sorry"  
"I saw him Balin. It was no dream. It was so real"

"Thorin, you are weary. Your mind was playing tricks. It is as Kili said; you fell asleep when he left your side. Dori took over from Dwalin on watch. Nothing out of the ordinary took place in this camp." explained Balin and Thorin shook his head and scrambled to his feet.

"I need space..." Thorin spoke and walked away from the camp with concerned eyes of the company following him.

"What is it?" Gandalf asked, stepping closer to Balin as the king walked away.

"He claims that he saw Thrain" answered the son of fundin.

"You do not believe him?" stated the wizard.

"Gandalf, do you see him now? It was probably a dream."

"yes, it probably was" Gandalf agreed with a mysterious glint in his eyes and took to the others in search of master Baggins leaving old Balin glancing over at his leader.

…

Thorin walked a great distance from the camp and dropped down onto the grassy plain, leaving against a tree with watery eyes. If it was a dream, which it likely was, it was terrible. It had shaken him like he had never been shaken before. He was angered with himself for letting down his barriers in his sleep. The whole company, all of his men, had seen him act terrified in a sleeping state. As he sat there, feeling somewhat ashamed with himself; his father's words echoing in his mind that he was a 'disappointment' and that he 'caused the downfall of his grandfather's kingdom', he was not aware of Anya approaching slowly. She had followed him, greatly concerned by his actions and was aware that something was clearly wrong. Anya had guessed that Thorin had left the others so he could freely express his emotions, and as she crept forward, she could see that she was right. The always regal leader held himself on the floor against the tree with his head drooped and his shoulders shaking.

The sun had fully set in the sky now and the wildlife came to life; the birds sang and flew in the sky, the rodents scurried along the floor and all seemed peaceful. Amongst the trees, lurking in the darkness, eyes looked on…

Gandalf had gathered the ponies, as requested by Beorn, and with miserable farewells from dwarves and Hobbit alike, left for the shape shifters house passing on regards to master Balin with the hopes that he too would pass it on to Thorin; after all, the wizard did not want to disturb Thorin in his current state. Balin watched the wizard disappear into the distance with all of the steeds and sighed heavily. This mean that the remainder of the journey would be on foot and that did not sit well with his old bones. Nor did the idea of trouble creeping towards them on their path through Mirkwood without a wizard to guide their way. It all seemed dim from this moment on and Balin was not the only one who felt this. The company say around the recently doused fire and looked solemnly at one another after coming to the realisation also that their stock of food was no more. Fili and Kili talked between themselves. The young dwarf had taken to telling his elder brother of what was said between himself and their uncle the night before and was relieved to hear that neither did his brother think him weak. Ori had taken the extra silent time to showing his recent writing and drawings to the interested hobbit, master Baggins whilst the other Ri brothers took to sharpening their weapons as did the other remaining dwarves.

"Thorin?" A whisper came and Thorin slowly lifted his head, glancing up at the shy woman. He had not the energy to argue with her or to ask her to leave and so he just stared at her with an unphased expression. Anya sighed and dropped to her knees in front of the solemn dwarf and took hold of his hands and this time he did not let go. "Are you ok?"

"I am weary…" his reply was barely audible.

"Please, come back to the others. It's not safe for you to be all the way out her by yourself. You don't know who is watching." Spoke the short woman, looking around nervously, emphasising her worry.

"Are the others waiting for me?"

"Of course. They are concerned. You scared us all this morning. Gandalf has gone too, and left us all. They are now relying on you Thorin. They need you to guide them" answered the woman, reaching forward, brushing the hair that dangled in front of Thorin's eyes behind his ears.

"The wizard has left us?!" Thorin gasped, his eyes wide. Nodding, Anya cupped Thorin's face in her hands and stroked his cheeks with her thumbs.

"He has taken the ponies back to Beorn."

"Can we not have one good thing?" Questioned Thorin, closing his eyes.

"You have me, what else can you ask for?" Anya replied playfully at an attempt to lighten the mood. Thorin smirked and lifted his gaze to his fiancé's.

"Indeed. I am sorry, for my actions Anya" Thorin replied, taking in a deep breath, looking back at the way he had reacted to her apology. It was not mature in any sense of the word, nor was it the attitude fit for a king. Anya looked back at him with forgiving eyes and lovingly placed a kiss upon the dwarf's forehead.

"Come back with me now?"

"Yes." Anya pulled away from Thorin and allowed him space to stand up. As he did he took in a deep breath of fresh air and looked around at the area. It was still early morning and danger would be unlikely at this moment as long as they took off within the hour or so. However, the thought of approaching elven territory did not sit well with the master dwarf. The thought of walking past the kingdom of the one elf that left the realm of Erebor fall, filled Thorin's heart with hatred. This hatred was clearly evident on his face and he bunched his hands into fists. "We approach that stinking race this day…" He commented, not to anyone in particular, rather, voicing his thoughts aloud.

"Think past them, its Erebor your aiming for. A place for you to rebuild, for your family and your people. To do that, you have to get past them" Anya spoke, standing in front of Thorin, holding his arms. The dark haired dwarf smiled and looked down at his love.

"You speak wise words…" Thorin snorted.

"I do most of the time, yet people are always surprised; as if women are incapable of forming a single intelligent thing in their heads." Chuckled Anya, before looking down at her stomach and removing her hands from Thorin's arms to place them there instead. "Five weeks pregnant. I thought I would never say such a thing… I wonder what it will be. I have always wanted a boy…"

"A boy? Most women want their child to be female" Answered Thorin, completely surprised as he too gazed at her stomach.

"I am not most women."

"No, you are not, that is for certain… Tell me, in your world, can you find out the gender of the child before it is born?" Thorin asked, utterly intrigued at the thought of such things.

"Yeah, we have these machines, called ultrasounds that can show the parents their baby inside the stomach. It's pretty neat" she explained with enthusiasm and Thorin just smiled at this strange but intriguing information. The son of Thrain placed his larger hands on Anya's stomach and closed his eyes.

"I will be happy to have a boy or girl… It will be mine whatever it is, and I will love it as I love you"

"Glad to hear that. Come on, let's get back. We've been here a while now"

"Aye that we have. But first, I wish to kiss you" Replied Thorin, and he leant down to place a kiss upon her lips. The dwarf king kissed his fiancé with such love and enthusiasm unbeknownst to them of the eyes that still remained on them both in the darkness of the trees. This day would prove to be a trail that not one of the companies could ever conceive. But for the current moment, Anya wiped away all sadness from Thorin's heart and she passionately kissed them before they returned to join the others.


	21. Chapter 21

"Do you have the feeling that something is watching us?" young Ori whispered to master Dwalin, clutching his book tightly. The elder dwarf glanced down at Ori and grunted.

"Are you feeling skittish lad?" he commented, slightly amused at the youngest RI brother. Ori blushed a little and glanced around at the company, spotting Anya and Thorin approaching from a distance.

"I swear to you, I feel as though we are being watched..." he spoke a little quieter and this, Dwalin took note of and a serious expression covered his face darkly.

"How long laddie?" Dwalin inquired his tone curious as he too looked around at the company.

"Since Thorin left the camp I guess. I don't feel safe here. I told Nori and Dori both, but they took my unsteadiness as weakness due to my young age and lack of experience. I assure you master Dwalin; this feeling is not due to my innocence of the wild. I fear something is watching us in the darkness of the trees..."

"That is something serious indeed. Stay here Ori, I will go in search of Thorin and alert him to this..." grumbled the tattooed dwarf, standing to his feet, stalking towards the others. Ori took in a deep breath and looked over at the trees in the distance with a shiver...

"I have never seen uncle so scared… Do you think he is well?" Kili asked Fili as his eyes stalked his approaching uncle and future aunt. Fili looked up from packing away his backpack and sighed. What was seen earlier on shook up the heir of the throne of Erebor. Thorin had looked frightened. He had never seen his uncle look as white as a sheet. Fili did not let on to his brother, but he was worried for Thorin.

"Perhaps. We will never know. He won't open up to us, you know that. So there is no point lingering on it. It was probably a nightmare. We all have them Kili" He answered. Kili exhaled in agreement and with a childlike strop, tied the straps of his own bag closed.

….

"Ere' Thorin, can I speak with ya'?" Dwalin spoke, eyeing his king and old friend as he placed a hand on his shoulder to alert him of his presence. Thorin turned around and looked at his tattooed friend and nodded his head, quickly regarding Anya once more, before moving away separately from the others. Dwalin took the lead and lead the king someway from the camp site and swallowed. Thorin's brow furrowed as he regarded his old friend and crossed his arms.

"What is it Dwalin?" he inquired.

"Young Ori feels unsettled; as if something or someone is watching us. I have never seen the lad so skittish. I would take it with a pinch of salt; his reaction an' all, but I know the lad isn't one to spook easily. He has come this far in the journey without a reaction like this" explained the bald headed dwarf, lowering his voice as not to spook any possible listeners of the conversation. Thorin hummed, taking in this information, and dropped his arms to his sides, looking around at the scenery. "Thorin?"

"We best move off as soon as possible then…"

"Do you not want to scout the area first Thorin?" Dwalin inquired, with a slight surprise.

"If there is something here, we do not want to alert it of our awareness of its presence. It would be sure to make a move if it knew. We keep this between ourselves Dwalin. I do not want to spook the company, understood?" Replied the dark haired dwarf.

"And if something does attack us Thorin? What then?" Dwalin dared to challenge him, knowing that it was safe to do so after being so close to Thorin as a friend and bodyguard. Thorin, however, was not in the mood and glared at the son of Fundin, tutting at him in annoyance.

"Dwalin…" He warned "… If we are swift and keep our wits about us, then nothing is likely to attack us"

"But Thorin, what if something does? Forgive me, but it will be on your head…"

"You would rather cause fright among the company?"

"I would rather the company keep their lives" Dwalin reasoned and the son of Thrain exhaled loudly, realising that his friend spoke words of wisdom and he nodded in agreement. "It can be done quietly among the men, so as not to raise attention to any possible on looker. Thorin, after what happened before the carrock; there are many things hunting and searching for you. It is quite likely that the lads fear is genuine. Im not only concerned for them lot, Thorin, but also for you. You maybe my king, and I maybe your guard, but first and foremost, yer' my friend."

"I am sorry for becoming irate my friend. I know you mean well. Do as you have said and tell them quietly. We leave as of now. It will be best not to linger here a moment longer; not with the young lads, Bilbo and Anya. I dare not imagine what horrid outcome would fall upon them if we were indeed attacked. I cannot fathom such a tragedy. Not now at least. Come, let us leave in haste" Thorin agreed, glancing over with solemn eyes at the gathering of dwarves up ahead. Dwalin grunted and tapped his friends arm reassuringly and in that moment, walked away toward the gathered people, intending on alerting all of the possible threat that lurked in the trees.

….

And so, as all were told of what could be lingering in the darkness of the woods surrounding them, the company set off at a great paste, not wanting to remain in the area any longer than they already had been. Although they did not have the company and protection of the grey wizard, the feeling of fear among them was not great. Indeed, weariness swept over them like a sand storm, but it did not hinder their judgement or the task at hand. In two's they walked and trudged through the rugged terrain, ever nearing the destination of which was ruled by the elven king Thranduil; whom of which Thorin hoped that their paths would not be crossed. Mirkwood: even the name sent shivers of dread between the men and Anya. The name was neither warm nor welcoming; and the tales of beast and evil shadows festering in the darkness of the enchanted forest filled their minds and hearts like a wicked plague.

Anya had found her recent predicament began to cause her achiness in her limbs as they trudged on without a breath. Her muscles burned and her joints felt raw, but she did not complain; not knowing what the others were going through. They fought, they set up camp, they took the lead and nothing was left for her to do; especially not after they found out that she was with child, and so, her complaining about being in pain deemed almost selfish. Thorin, as usual was silent through their journey; 'brooding' as many of the men called it. He did not even entertain the presence of Balin beside him, nor his nephews. He took comfort in his seclusion for the time being. He needed time to think, to go through everything step by step in his mind. At the moment, if felt like it was all over the place; the journey, the task ahead, Anya, everything.

Dwalin had taken to staying by young Ori's side. The young dwarf was still unsettled about the feelings he had gone through at camp and it seemed that his brothers could not calm him; only the tattooed dwarf could keep him at peace. Because of this, the friendship between the both began to bloom. Bilbo, the small hobbit had kept to himself also, taking moments here and there to take a look at his new golden ring. After learning about its power, and keeping it form the dwarves, it gave him a slight thrill. Unbeknownst to Thorin and Dwalin, Bilbo had been present when they had been talking and heard the whole commotion about the strangers in the dark. He did however keep all to himself.

…

"What news do you bring me, Gurtaag?"

"They have just left their settlement; they are moving with great stealth"

"So they were aware of your presence?"

"Unfortunately master"

"You better hope that we do not lose them Gurtaag, your life depends on it"

….

"How can we even walk through this darkness without coming upon something potentially dangerous?" Bofur spoke out aloud in frustration as the moon was beginning to be shielded by dark clouds.

"Shouldn't we set up camp now? It is growing rather late" Dori spoke up, joining in.

"Not yet, we should cover a little more ground" Thorin replied in a grumble.

"But we cannot see!" Bombur exclaimed

"Whoever or whatever it was; they'll be gone by now" said Balin.

"I can't go any further…" Anya suddenly spoke and the men turned around, glancing at the woman whom had just spoken. Anya held her stomach and felt light headed. She felt herself sway a moment. "Please, can we stop?" her eyes began to water; she could not fight back the pain any longer.

"But Anya-" Thorin began, though he did hold sympathy in his eyes for her.

"No Thorin! I can't walk anymore. If you want to carry on, go on ahead. But I can't. My legs feel like they have been blitzed in a food processor and I feel like I've been drop kicked in my gut."

"Fine" He agreed, although he did not understand what she had said exactly. She was clearly in pain, and he could not fault her that. Nodding his head, he tossed his bag to the ground and indicated to the others to do so. As Ori placed his luggage down, he glanced up at the sudden sound of a twig snapping and his eyes filled with horror.

"Dwalin!"


	22. Chapter 22

"No Thorin! I can't walk anymore. If you want to carry on, go on ahead. But I can't. My legs feel like they have been blitzed in a food processor and I feel like I've been drop kicked in my gut."

"Fine" He agreed, although he did not understand what she had said exactly. She was clearly in pain, and he could not fault her that. Nodding his head, he tossed his bag to the ground and indicated to the others to do so. As Ori placed his luggage down, he glanced up at the sudden sound of a twig snapping and his eyes filled with horror.

"Dwalin!"

…

As the frightened words escaped young Ori's mouth, the tattooed dwarf opened his eyes wide and faced a White toothed warg with a vicious glint in its eye. Grabbing hold of his axe, Dwalin yelled to gain the attention of the others and brandished his weapon towards the offending beast. Seldom did warg beasts roam the land alone, and so as the group gathered in a pack, their eyes scouted the area for any approaching beasts to come. But something was not right with the picture. No a single Warg was seen, save for the one in front of their eyes. This was greatly unsettling to all, especially Anya and dear Bilbo whom stood, still as statues, looking with wide open eyes at the snarling creature. Dwalin once again growled and took a step forward, swinging his axe as a warning. Another thing, in that moment, took the dwarves by surprise. Instead of dodging the blade and making for an attack, the warg whimpered and scurried a few centimetres backward, away from the offending dwarf. Anya noticed this slight change in the beast and felt a sudden surge of confidence shoot through her like and electric shock to the system. Taking a step toward the beast, ignoring all protests and warnings given by the company, Anya held out her hand toward it, encouraging it to come to her. The warg stared at her hand with a cautious expression, as if waiting for the women to just attack him in that instant; but she remained calm, still and unthreatening.

Anya smiled at the beast, and took another few brave steps forward, breathing steadily as the beast came closer and closer to her. The warg snarled at the approaching women and bared his razor sharp teeth to her; giving a warning not to come another step closer. Ignoring its command, Anya smiled at it, but her smile soon faded when the beast took a swipe towards her. The woman managed to jump back just in time, but that was all it took for Dwalin to bring down his sharpened axe upon its bare neck. Anya screamed and immediately pushed the tattooed dwarf in anger. "What did you do that for?" She cried in despair, and glared at the male.

"Miss, it was going to attack you!" Bofur exclaimed in surprise.

"I spooked it!" Anya snapped back.

"Anya, it was a warg. It would have killed you anyway, no matter how nice you were being to it" Thorin spoke softly, but it did not calm her at all. Anya faced her lover with dark eyes and fisted hands and solemnly replied

"Not everything is evil. There are evil humans, but you don't destroy them. Just because that thing is known for being a monster, doesn't mean it was one. Don't judge a book by its cover! Not everything that is known to be good is good. And not everything known to be bad is bad. Can you see any more of them? Did it attack us when it first saw us? No! And now, you lot killed an innocent creature because you thought it was going to kill me. I thought you were going to kill me when we first met, but I didn't hurt you did I?"

"Calm yourself Anya" Balin offered as he spotted the leaders brow furrowing in annoyance with the woman before him. Anya huffed and flailed her arms up in the air and walked away from the dwarves to a gathering of rock and dried grass, not wanting to spend another moment near them lest she bite their heads off. She was feeling emotional, that was for sure. It was an obvious symptom to her pregnancy, of that she knew, but she felt so much it felt that it would squeeze the life from her in an instant. Thorin had commanded Dwalin and Bofur to rid the company of the warg carcass and get a fire going. The others took to helping the small dwarf gather ingredients and prepare the evening meal. Fili had kept his eyes on the emotional woman most of the day; watching her move in a slow pace, with discomfort clearly displayed on her face. He was concerned for her; that was certain. He wished to comfort her, to keep her company. However, he thought against it as she was after all, his uncle's fiancés, and it would perhaps deem inappropriate for him to do so. He was torn inside. Fighting against his feelings, the blonde dwarf left his brother's side and made his way towards the miserable woman. Several members of the company watched on with curiosity as the heir to the throne did so, but kept their thoughts to themselves.

"Anya, are you well?" Fili inquired, looking sheepishly at her side profile. Anya grimaced instantly and shuffled, turning away from him.

"I want to be on my own Fili, no offence, but can you leave me alone" She replied, staring into the distance with a hand on her stomach. Fili sighed and took a brave step forward, not doing as Anya wished.

"Do- do you wish to speak?"

"Fili, I don't. I want to be on my own. Please, go away"

"… Anya, you do know that Dwalin was just protecting you? Please, don't shut us out because of that…"

"FILI, LEAVE ME ALONE!" She screamed, turning around to face him with an angered expression. Fili swallowed and nodded, as if being told off by his mother, and turned around slowly, walking away from the distraught woman. Thorin had stood still, watching the scene play out in the distance and sighed. Perhaps it would have been wise to have left her at the house of Beorns. She was emotional, got tired too easily, and was currently proving to be a slight nuisance. It would only get worse as her pregnancy went on, he pondered. He knew she would refuse his offer to go back, so there was no point of mentioning, so he silently prayed that things would improve.

"She is hard work" Fili spoke to his uncle as he quickly walked past him back to his brother. Thorin shook his head and pulled his eyes away from the woman, and back to the attention of his company.

…

Anya glanced around at the surroundings from all aspects when after sometime her eyes settled on an opening in the woods not too far from where the company had rested. It was dark between the trees, though the shrubs and bushes outside it were beautiful. It was then that words from both Beorn and Gandalf echoed in her mind. That, what her eyes were looking at, was indeed the entrance to the Mirkwood forest. She felt a sudden excitement at reaching it so soon, although she knew that the company, bar Bilbo, were dreading the approach of the cursed wood where the elven king resided. Anya thought to alert the others immediately of their closeness to the woodland realm, though she gathered her actions earlier on would leave a slight upset with the others, and so she just sat there, gazing into the distance, unaware of the approaching footsteps of a dwarf. A hand on her shoulder however did bring her from her trance and she jumped slightly in shock. Blinking several times, Anya turned her head toward the person whom brought her out of her daze. Balin stood, looking down at her with a loving expression. Anya felt guilt build up inside her. This dwarf was not an enemy, nor were the others. She had overacted at the situation with the warg and knew deep down that they were only trying to protect her well-being. About to reply with an apology, Balin shook her head to stop her, knowing what was going through her mind and simply smiled.

"Why don't you come back with me lass? It isn't safe for you to be alone out here" He said with such a gentle tone, it reminded the woman of her grandfather.

"The others will be upset with me…" She spoke, looking down at her hands, feeling ashamed.

"Dear, they were the ones who sent me to come and get you. Your company is missed. They understand. Come, get up and walk with me" Balin said. Agreeing, Anya rose to her weary feet and took Balin's arm, walking slowly back to the others.

"Balin, did you know that we are on the doorstep of Mirkwood?"

"Aye lass that I did, though I think it best not to tell Master Thorin before the night is out. It will unsettle his sleep" Balin explained and Anya rolled her eyes.

"I understand the whole thing with Elves and Dwarves, but don't you think Thorin is slightly overreacting in regards to that race?" Anya asked, glancing at the kind, elder dwarf.

"No lass, I do not. If they had intervened, the perhaps the king, his father, his mother and his brother would still have their lives. Because of the attack of Smaug, and the lack of help from the elves, we were forced to leave Erebor, to fend for ourselves. It was because of that that led to so many deaths in his family. He has not told anyone except his nephews and myself, but him mother died shortly after the attack to Erebor from burn wounds. She contracted an infection. There was no medicine available to help prevent the infection growing, for we had nothing, it was all destroyed in Erebor. Eventually, Thror, Thorin's father buried her by a waterfall on the way to the Blue Mountains. Thorin was heartbroken, as was his sister and brother. Then, within the year, his grandfather and brother were killed and his father went missing; never to be heard of again. His sister and those young lads are the only thing he has left. He has gone through so much; all of which could have been prevented if the elves had intervened and helped in rescuing the others or even destroying Smaug himself. After all, Elves are known for their fantastic abilities in war and magic, are they not? So not, I do not think he is overacting."

"I didn't know that. I knew that he had lost family, but I did not know that at all" Anya whispered solemnly, and glanced over at the camp that was now a few feet away from the both of them.

"Aye; that's why he keeps to himself and trust no one. He has lived a life of expecting death. He fears that if he gets too close to someone hey will die"

"Is that why it took so long for him to admit his feelings for me? Because he was scared I was going to die or get killed?"

"Yes, and that is why he wanted Dwalin to destroy that warg. He has lost so much Anya; you cannot fault his worry, no matter how small the situation may appear." Balin replied and stopped in his tracks, looking at her with a soft expression. "Don't let on that you know any of this lass, he will not be too happy"

"I won't, I promise. Thank you though, for telling me. It makes things clearer now" commented Anya. Balin nodded sweetly and wandered off, leaving the woman to herself. Anya immediately searched for Thorin, but as her eyes roamed they met with both Dwain's and Fili's and she sent them an apologetic nod, of which, both received with a kind smile. Eventually, spotting the king in the darkness, holding himself and he sat, against a rock, Anya sighed and walked towards him. "Im sorry…" She whispered as she came to stand in front of him. Thorin smiled weakly and pulled his hand away from his chest and tapped the ground beside him. Anya took to the floor and rested her head on the dark haired beauties shoulder.

"I gather you are feeling much better now?" He inquired, his voice ringing in hear ears like a harmonic orchestra. Anya shivered at the sound and nodded.

"I am. I think I really upset Fili though"

"He is a big boy Anya; I doubt he will linger on it. Forget it now. You are here, that's all that matters. It is late however, and I think that in a while it would be best for us all to rest our heads. We still have a long way to travel tomorrow" Thorin spoke with an authoritative voice. Anya hummed at his last words though she knew the truth that they were only a hundred or so feet away.

"I am pretty tired" Anya admitted, snuggling up against the king under the mountains side.

"Then sleep, I will wake you if need be. You need to rest. We have done a great deal of walking this day, and I fear a lot tomorrow also." Said Thorin quietly.

"What about you, will you sleep now?"

"I will not sleep until I know all are rested. I will be fine. Come now, rest your eyes"

"Ok… I love you Thorin"

"And I you, Dear Anya, and I you"


	23. Chapter 23

Thorin found that he could not sleep that night. Bifur and Nori had reassured him that they would take watch, judging by how tired he looked; he was in need of dire rest. He knew not what kept him awake, for there was no noise except the snoring of the fatter dwarves. He was not uncomfortable as the ground they led upon was the most comfortable they had led on in days. Nor was it Anya beside him that disturbed his sleep. For some reason unknown to him, he was rather unnerved. Rolling to the side, back facing his love, Thorin scanned the darkness in front of him with a sigh. He knew it would be wise to sleep, but no matter how many times he closed his eyes, he just could not. Thorin tried settling his mind, to clear it completely to allow sleep to take over, but the quest was too much of a big thing to push it from his mind, and so, he found himself thinking of the days to come. Thinking about his home, Erebor, and of the fond memories he had there. Quickly he found his mind travelling to his long lost family; his mother, brother and father. Frerin entered his thought and Thorin smiled greatly, remembering the times they had together when they were both Dwarf Lads…

0.0.0

"Shhh Frerin, you'll wake her up. I'd rather keep my head on my shoulders…" A voice whispered in the darkness of the halls of Erebor. Thorin walked as quietly as he could past his sister's room, with his young brother in tow, making no effort at all to keep quiet.

"I don't understand why you are doing this now Brother. 'Tis not 'till the morn'"

"… I'm doing it now because you are not likely to get up early Frerin. You are rather lazy in the morning. Besides, I thought YOU wanted to do this"

"I did… I mean, I do, but Thorin, im so tired." Frerin replied, rolling his eyes as he stared at the back of Thorin's head.

"You should not have bought Dis such a large gift then" Thorin snapped, looking back over his shoulder at his younger brother whom displayed a sheepish expression on his face.

"What was I supposed to get her for her birthday, Thorin?"

"A Dress, Brother, or perhaps Jewellery of some sort; not a set of weapons, including several axes'" Thorin retorted with a loud sigh.

"But Thorin, you like that sort of thing for your birthday's" Frerin attempted to reason.

"There is one difference brother…"

"What, what is it?"

"Dis if female, I am male. Weapons are the sort of things a Dwarf male would want. Not a Dwarf lass" Thorin spoke, but ended with a chuckle.

"You know, in my first few years, I was so sure Dis was my brother, that was until I realised she was wearing dresses and that muck on her eyes" Frerin explained, smiling as they both came to a halt in front of a storage room at the other end of the corridor. Thorin snorted at the last reply from his brother and shook his head happily, opening the door as slowly and quietly as possible.

"Is that why, after all these years, you have not bought her something feminine for her birthday?" Thorin whispered, curious at his brother's reply. Frerin shuffled back and forth for a few moments until he came to stand beside Thorin and looked him in the eye with a hint of embarrassment.

"Do not tell Dis, Thorin. I will never live it down" Frerin whined.

"Oh, my dear brother! You have much to learn!" Thorin laughed and clapped his brother's arm in glee.

"Well, I hope it will be you to teach me Thorin. I want to be just like you when we are father's age. Do you promise that you will never leave my side Thorin? I cannot imagine going a day without my brother with me" Frerin said, making the mood more emotional than intended.

"Little brother, I promise, I will always be there for you, always… Now come, let's move this blasted present of yours for our sister!" Thorin answered with a loving smile, looking at his brother with warm eyes. Frerin beamed with happiness and moved to help Thorin with the large package.

0.0.0

Thorin took a deep breath as he pulled his thoughts away from his brother. A single tear trickled down his slightly dirty cheek and was thankful that no one could see his emotions being openly displayed. Thorin shut his eyes tight and swallowed hard, and then ever so quietly he whispered, "I am sorry brother, my promise to you was broken; I could not protect you". Because of his flash back haunting his mind even more, the king under the mountain tossed his blanket to the side and got up to his feet, rubbing his eyes with his battle worn hands.

"You al 'right there milord?" Nori inquired, watching the son of Thrain, look around sheepishly.

"I cannot sleep..." Thorin replied with a sigh and looked around at the sleeping bodies on the floor. They all looked peaceful, worry-less. His eyes rested upon the sleeping bodies of his nephews and he felt a slight sadness in his heart. Although he never told him; Kili reminded Thorin of frerin so much, it almost pained him to look upon him all the time. He was thankful that Fili had his father's looks rather than his mother's; for he knew that he could not cope with two brothers, two nephews resembling his long lost brother. Shaking his head, clearing his thoughts, Thorin looked around helplessly and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Thorin, really, we are ok to keep watch. Get some sleep" Nori spoke up, noticing the restless king. Although he wanted to argue and stay up a little longer, he knew that his body was in need of rest and so he nodded at his men on watch ad returned to his sleep roll. As his back came to rest on the ground, Thorin let out a quiet sigh of relief, feeling the weight being lifted from his recently aching limbs.

"You're hurting?" a small voice spoke and Thorin turned his face toward the woman lying beside him. Anya looked on with curious eyes at the long haired dwarf and shuffled forward a few centimetres.

"A little, not much..." the son of Thrain spoke, staring deeply into his loves eyes.

"It's a shame that I don't have any pain killers with me. I could do with some too" Anya responded and placed a hand on her slightly raised stomach. It was one week away from her being two months pregnant, but the woman would swear that she was more far gone than that. Her body felt heavy and he small limbs felt as though she had been carrying ship anchors on them. Thorin watched as her hand moved to her stomach and he instantly felt a surge of worry. Reaching forward and placing his hand atop her own, Thorin leant his face closer.

"Are you uncomfortable on the floor? I am sorry that I cannot provide better sleeping arrangements for you." he whispered to her, feeling guilty about the whole situation.

"I can deal with it; it's not your fault. I would just love to bathe in a Jacuzzi to soothe my legs and back"

"jacuzzi? What is that?"

"It's like a bath that produces bubble and warm water constantly. It's really nice, especially when you're surrounded by scented candles, a glass of champagne in hand and a good romance book" she said and looked on with an amused expression at the confused one of the dwarfs face.

"You live in a strange world Anya... I try to understand what you speak of, but I honestly do not know most of the time. I cannot grasp these things so speak so fondly of. It seems we know not a lot about one another and our worlds" Thorin commented, rubbing his thumb gently over the soft skin on the back of Anya's hand.

"I'm sorry; I think perhaps it's because I don't explain things properly. I'd love to tell you more about myself and my world, but I will probably confuse you even more."

"I wish to know though Anya. I may be confused and may not understand, but I wish to know, I will try to understand"

"well if I confuse you too much, just say and I'll shut my mouth ok?"

"Agreed..." Thorin chuckled. Anya moved a little closer to the son of Thrain, and for a few hours leading on from this moment, the both spoke of each other's worlds; of all things imaginable, opening their eyes to greater things, mysterious things, and in Thorin's case, most incredible and almost unbelievable things.

0.0.0

The sun had risen at what some would say a rather rapid pace. It was as if the night time was completely skipped. The dwarves rose from their slumber with grumbles and protests, thought Bilbo woke with a smile on his face and outstretched arms. He was a morning person; he loved the smell of fresh morning air, the look of shining dew upon leaves. It was clear to him however, that Dwarves were far from morning creatures judging by the way they looked up at the early morning sun as though it were an enemy or some foul creature. It was quite amusing to witness to say the least, but it did not stop the little hobbit from standing to his feet and stretching his sleep worn limbs. As he looked around, his keen hobbit eyes fell upon two sleeping figures on the floor that had not yet woken to the morning light. Bilbo Baggins fought against the urge to wake them, coming to the conclusion that neither of them had had a decent sleep, and that was the reason for their lay in. at the same time, however, the Halfling thought it unfair. The others were now away and preparing what food they had for breakfast, and their leader and his love were still asleep. Knowing that it was nought to do with him, Bilbo turned his attention away and walked over to the ever jolly Bofur to aid in preparations.

Balin sat silently, looking at the forest in the distance, thinking about how to approach the king on the location in which they found themselves thus. Was he to just come out with it? inform the king that all night they had led outside the border of Mirkwood, or was he to be creative and just act as if they had suddenly 'happened across' this certain part of land. Thorin was his friend as well as leader and so he knew that, although he may be somewhat displeased at the information, he would not likely be upset with Balin, or angry at his honesty to where they had rested for the evening. It troubled the elder dwarf greatly, until his brother came to stand beside him, in an attempt to gain his attention. The white haired dwarf looked up at his younger brother from his sitting position and smiled warmly. "Hello brother" he welcomed. Dwalin nodded and looked across to where Balin had previously been looking.

"We've reached it then" He spoke, more of a statement than question.

"You knew?" Balin inquired with a hint of surprise and watched as Dwalin nodded his head without speaking. "Yer think Thorin will take this well?"

"Well? Not likely, but I gather it will be of some relief to finally reach it. After all, just as Gandalf said, the nearer we are to the enemy, the nearer we are to victory. We will reach Erebor in no time if we keep to the task on not deviate"

"Yer right Laddie, Erebor cannot come soon enough" Balin agreed and slowly rose to his feet, feeling his tired bones protest. Dwalin tapped his brother's arm merrily and led him toward the others.

0.0.0

"You do it…"

"No, you. I'd rather not be the brunt of his anger when he is forcefully woken"

"Where is your sense of fun?"

"My sense of fun does not come under 'waking uncle' when he is asleep" Fili retorted, frowning at his brother as both stood near the sleeping couple on the floor.

"Yes, but he will be annoyed at us for letting him sleep this long" Kili reasoned.

"If you are so passionate about this, then you do it. Im going back to Bilbo. He was telling me a rather interesting story before you came along and interrupted him. Good luck" Fili replied with the roll of his eyes and left his brothers side in an instant. Kili held his breath and approached the sleeping couple on the floor. Kneeling beside his uncle's head, Kili placed his hands on Thorin's arm and gently shook. Thankfully, that was all that was needed to wake the king. Slowly, Thorin's eyes opened and focused on the face of his younger nephew. It took him a few moment to gather his thoughts before he spoke.

"What is it Kili?" Thorin asked with a coarse voice, taking in a deep breath of fresh air.

"Everyone is awake. Bofur and Bilbo are preparing breakfast. I thought you would appreciate the wakeup call" Explained the brunette. Thorin nodded in agreement and quickly looked across at the sleeping woman next to him.

"Thank you Kili, We will be up momentarily" Thorin spoke without looking at his nephew and Kili took note and left his side, walking back towards his brother.

"See, no harm done!" Kili said to Fili as if to say, 'you made something out of nothing'. Fili regarded his brother a moment before a cheeky grin splayed over his face.

"Oh right, that is why your face is as red as a ripened tomato?"

"Oh hush Fili!" Kili answered, his red cheeks deepening in colour even further.

Thorin woke Anya gently as his nephew walked away. The woman yawned loudly and smiled at her love before moving away her blanket and rising to her feet. Thorin took her offered hand and pulled himself up. Before the dark haired dwarf had time to speak with Anya, Balin slowly approached and gave the woman a knowing look. Thorin frowned in confusion as he watched Anya nod her head to someone, and slowly he turned around to face his old friend.

"I would speak with you Thorin" Balin spoke gently.

"Now? We have just woken. Can it not wait my friend until we have woken a little more?" Thorin asked, surprised at Balin's eagerness to converse with him.

"I do not think it can, laddie" Thorin sighed and agreed, allowing Anya to walk away from them. Waiting until they were completely alone, Thorin opened his arms in a gesture for Balin to speak his peace. "Thorin, are you aware of where we stand as of this moment?"

"I cannot say I have knowledge of our current position, no. Why?"

"We stand on the borders of Mirkwood. That gathering of trees just behind us; it is the entrance to the darkened wood" Balin explained and watched as Thorin instantly stiffened at the words spoken to him. His fists tightened slightly and he looked around the look at the trees Balin spoke of.

"We reached them sooner than expected" Thorin stated

"On the contrary, I was aware for some time" Balin replied. The son of Thrain turned around in an instant and looked with annoyed eyes at his old friend.

"Then why is it that only now this is coming to my attention?"

"You had an overwhelming day yesterday, Thorin, and you were weary and in need of sleep. The knowledge that we were on the Elven border would had ripped sleep away from you. I kept it form you with only good intentions"

"Thank you" Thorin said with a sigh after some moments of silence. He shuffled his feet and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Our journey is only now beginning then, it would seem"

"Aye laddie, but don't think on it just yet. Come, the lads have made breakfast. Eat and be filled before you even think on today's journey. Nothing good will come of worry on an empty stomach. You know this full well"

"Agreed. Lead the way dear Balin, let us eat"

0.0.0

"It's too dark! How are we supposed to see where we are walking?" Anya exclaimed loudly.

"Quiet my dear, we know not what lurks in this cursed forest" Balin whispered and the company fell silent.


	24. Chapter 24

The company had finished what food they had left for their morning meal, somewhat satisfied. All except master bagging of course, who still had not gotten used to cutting down his many meals to two if it were possible, maybe even just one. Thorin tried to hide his weariness about the approaching forest, though there seemed no need as each and every person walking toward it shared a similar disposition. Anya had kept quiet and toward the back, seeking company with the small hobbit, knowing that Thorin would not likely be the best of company at the moment. "Do you think we will come across Elves brother?" Kili asked quietly, making sure as not to raise his uncle's attention to the subject on what they were speaking. Fili sighed and shook his head lightly.

"Kili, it would be wise not to think on such things. If Thorin were to hear anything of the sort, or even a slight interest in the matter, he will be surely angry with you" Fili remarked and glanced to the side, frowning at young Kili.

"Is it my fault that I am curious?" Kili questioned, frowning back at the heir to the realm of Erebor.

"In this case, yes. You know of Uncle's feelings toward Elves, and you best pray that we do not cross their path. He is agitated as it is. See, look up ahead, he is walking alone. You know what that means. Please, if not for his sake, but for others as well; keep your curiosity to yourself, just this once"

"I hate the silence…" Kili grumbled and looked to the floor, mumbling under his breath.

"That we know, brother that we know." Fili chuckled lightly and tapped his brother's arm with a smile. "Cheer up Kili. Think about it; we are getting closer to Uncle's and mother's home. That is something exciting is it not?"

"Aye, a new home that is an exciting concept."

"Indeed. Now come, let's catch up with the others. I do believe Bofur owes me some money after a bet we placed earlier" Fili snorted and pulled his brother along with him.

ooo

"How are you faring Miss Anya? Is the pregnancy treating you well? I would feel awful if it were bringing your spirits down without this troublesome journey" Bilbo inquired, staring up at the tired looking woman, who hair was now almost fully blonde, something that the whole company was adjusting too after meeting her with brown hair and now knowing her with blonde. Anya placed a hand on her small bump and sighed at the aching in her feet.

"I'm ok. Im just feeling a bit tired. I don't know whether it's from the lack of sleep and comfort or the fact that im pregnant." She answered, looking down at the curly haired Halfling. Bilbo nodded, taking in the information, then took his gaze to the dwarves up ahead and smiled.

"Their making living different don't they? I don't think I ever experienced life properly until they day that Gandalf came to my door and led me on this adventure." He commented, his eyes looking over every single individual and thinking in his mind just how individual they all were from each other.

"Yeah, I get you. I can say, I've never done as much walking, running or anything of the sort like what we have done in my world. It's been enlightening. I think, if I were to choose between the elven race and the dwarven race, putting aside any biased feelings, I would choose the dwarfs. They may be noisy and dirty at times, but they are such a laugh and make you feel like you belong and are part of the family. I feel like you have to be a certain type of person to get along and fit in with elves"

"Indeed. I don't think I could ever go back to a normal living after this journey, that's for sure" Bilbo chuckled.

"Will you?"

"Will I what?" Bilbo questioned, curiously, glancing up at the woman with inquisitive eyes.

"Will you go back to your home after this quest is complete?" Anya inquired.

"You know, im not quite sure. I do enjoy seeing the world, though I am not overly fond of all this danger about. The shire is a quiet place you know; very much different from this right here. I gather that you are remaining now that you are to be married and are with child?"

"Yeah, yeah I'll be staying now. Im not ecstatic about the idea, but then again there isn't anything left back where I come from. I'll get used to the idea the longer I am here I think. And the sooner we get to Erebor the better. Oh, look, he's stopping…" True to Anya's words, Thorin had come to a halt right in front of the entrance to the trees and turned around to face the others. He regarded each and every face solemnly and opened and closed his mouth several times before speaking.

"We are about to enter the woods. Beorn spoke of the darkness that lurks among the trees. We must me on guard and under no circumstance, follow the river or light a fire. We must keep to the path and make do in the darkness" Thorin explained.

"Then how do we eat? The only thing available to us is a rabbit here and there; we cannot eat it raw. We need a fire" Bombur complained and the leader of the company frowned with great intensity.

"We do not eat. The quicker we walk, and the quieter it is, we will reach the other side in no time. I know asking you all not to eat for a day or so is outrageous, but our lives will be on the line if we light a fire. Hopefully we will come across some fruit or any other greenery that is edible. Our burglar knows his way around such things. He can guide us if need be. Try to keep the noise to a minimum; this is not a safe place" he replied and many of the dwarves grumbled, but accepted the kings words, knowing them to be wise. Besides, a few thought, Bombur could lay off the food for a day or two; he was beginning to slow them down. Thorin turned around begrudgingly and took his first nervous step into the wood. It was strange, almost eerie that one step inside would block out all the sounds of life outside. It was quiet, disturbingly so. Thorin then waited inside for his men to walk in one by one. Secretly, he wanted to be with his nephews and love; to keep an eye on them and keep them safe. He was worried, but he would not openly say so, and so, as Fili and Kili came into view, Thorin nodded to them for them to come to his side. They did so without question, though their expressions resembled confusion. Finally Bilbo and Anya came into sight and Thorin took her arm and pulled her to him. She jumped slightly at the contact and looked up at his face, but he was looking up ahead at the daunting path. "Keep together. Do not wander. It is about to get dark. If need be, hold on to one another; we don't want to leave anyone behind…" Thorin announced. As if frightened, the groups of families within the company huddled together and began to march on. Turning to his nephews, lowering his voice, he spoke. "Do not stray from my side. I will not lose you both in this god forsaken place. Keep master Baggins close to you" Fili and Kili nodded and walked to the hobbits side, making sure that they were just inches behind the leader and the woman…

ooo

"It's too dark! How are we supposed to see where we are walking?" Anya exclaimed loudly after some time. Balin and Dwalin who were in the front of the woman turned around in fright at the sudden loud noise.

"Quiet my dear, we know not what lurks in this cursed forest. We have already found ourselves with a sleeping Bombur" Balin whispered and the company fell silent. (The day after the company had entered the forest, the company had come across the lake that Beorn had warned them about. A boat waited on the banks and worried the dwarves greatly; if it would hold their weight or not. The only way, is seemed, for them to get to the other side, was to cross. And so, two by two each took the boat, all the while frightened at what could possibly be lurking in the depths of the murky water. It came for Bombur to seat himself in the boat and cross to the other side, but his weight had betrayed him and he found himself falling into the discoloured water. Bofur had yelled out in the forest at the sight of his fat brother beginning to sink. There seemed to be no movement in the dwarf. Managing to pull him back into the boat and get him a shore, the company felt relief at the knowledge that a member of the company was safe that was until they found that he would not wake. Anya attempted to give the bulbous dwarf mouth to mouth, but it seemed to no avail. He was not injured, but asleep. Thorin growled in frustration at the thought that the men now had to carry the sleeping, fat dwarf. Bofur, Bifur and Gloin took to heaving up the large dwarf, carrying him through the frightening woods.

The company had not long gone through that panic, than did another arise. Anya had tripped over a fallen log in the darkness and took a nasty tumble. Thorin felt his heart sink as he reached for her wildly in the darkness, fearing for her and the baby. Luckily Anya had landed on her bottom on top of a shrub which made the fall lass painful. And now, they found themselves, two days after, still walking in the darkness, never knowing where one day ended and the other began, with Bombur still fast asleep)

"Im sorry…" She muttered quietly and held on tightly to the dwarf kings hand. He gently rubbed his thumb over her soft skin in reassurance. It was getting almost impossible to see in the blackness. The only thing visible was the path in front of their feet and the slight outline of the others before them; and they could barely see them! Balin and Dwalin once more took off and Anya began to tremble in fear.

"You are safe with me" Thorin whispered in her ear as they walked.

"Im sorry, but I do not feel it. I feel like anything could jump out at any moment and just rip me away from where im standing." She responded and felt her heart beat faster and faster as images of monsters from movies she had seen came bursting forth from trees, and pulling her away from Thorin.

"I will not let anything harm you, do you understand me... Anya?"

"I understand you"

"Look, look there!" A voice sounded just up above. It sounded like Ori, but in the darkness, and speaking quietly, it was unsure. Mumbling continued and Thorin frowned. What was going on, he thought.

"What is it? What's going on?" Fili asked his uncle, on hearing the call ahead of them also.

"I am not sure Fili; stay close… Balin, what is it?"

"The Lads have spotted a light up ahead… Ori is sure he can hear muffled voices also" Balin explained, on coming closer to his king.

"We rest here for now then, whatever it is, or whoever, we do not want to disturb it. I will take master Baggins with me in a while to see what we are nearing. Pass the message on Balin" Balin did as was asked of him and slowly and quietly the company came together and took a seat on the darkened floor. Thorin had asked Fili and Balin to keep Anya as close to them as possible and asked master Baggins to follow him.

"Thorin, do you not think we should go together, with the others I mean? It may be safer" Bilbo said before they walked much further. Thorin thought on the hobbits words and found wisdom in his words. Nodding, both walked back and asked the others to follow, once more picking up the sleeping dwarf. "Does Thorin know we have left the path?" Bilbo inquired of Kili in the back of the company.

"To be honest master boggins, im not sure where the path starts or where it ends. It's all a blur in the darkness" Kili replied honestly.

"I see something!" Oin announced and Thorin and Dwalin pushed through to the front of the company and looked on toward the lights.

"Elves…" Thorin snarled and felt his hands clench in anger. "I am too weary and hungry, as are we all, to quarrel with the enemy"

"What are yer saying?" Dwalin questioned.

"Let's go to them, if they are 'nice' and 'welcoming' as the wizard says, they will not turn us away in our despair"

"Do you know what you are saying?" Dwalin spoke, with shock in his voice.

"Yes, I do. Come, let us enter their encampment" Thorin replied and walked forward. As soon as they entered the camp in which the elves sat, merry making, the lights were snuffed out in a matter or moments.

"Thorin!"

"Nori?"

"Where is everyone?"

"Was that you Kili?"

"Im scared!"

"Anya?"

"Please, don't leave me alone out here!"

"Oin!"

"Who was that?"

"What's touching me!"

"Bilbo, you there? Bilbo?"

ooo

Bilbo had indeed got separated from the others, and in his panic found himself too worked up to move. Leaning against a tree, he felt himself fall into slumber.

ooo

"Stay back, you filth!" Bilbo called out when he awoke and found a spider approaching him with great speed. As he slashed the foul creature in two, Bilbo smiled in victory and stared at his sword with admiration. "If Thorin and Gandalf can have names for their weapons, then so will I. I name you Sting! Now, where is everyone?" Slowly and carefully, Bilbo searched for the dwarves, and, after some time, came across their bodies hanging from many trees, wrapped in what seemed like spider webs. "It's Bilbo. It everyone accounted for?"

"No…" A solemn voice echoed. It was Fili.

"What, what is it?" Bilbo inquired, cutting down the dwarves from the trees.

"Anya did not answer our calls. She is missing" Kili spoke. As each on pulled away the foul web from their bodies, the eldest nephew of the line of Durin came to yet another realisation.

"Thorin is missing…"


	25. Chapter 25

Everything was black. Anya felt bile rise up in her throat. All she could hear was the silent tapping of footsteps beside her and people talking now and then in another language. It was frightening to say the least. She knew not where she was nor where the others were. She remembered seeing a giant spider then boom, nothing. She had lost Thorin and Bilbo in the darkness. Their calls and cries of desperation had grown quieter. It was eerie and Anya felt as though she had walked into a horror movie. The footsteps began to pick up and the hands on her arms tightened, pushing her forward. Suddenly she was pulled to a stop and held still whilst another hand ripped her blind fold from her head. Anya looked around in terror at the large area of trees. It was huge and she felt even smaller being in such a place. Before her was a throne made of interlaced branches and smooth darkened wood. Sat upon it was the most beautiful but the angriest of men her eyes fell upon. He was clad in a silver robe and nestled on his long blonde hair was a crown made of twigs and leaves. He looked kingly indeed and the way his eyes pierced into her frightened her. Suddenly, the man Rose from his throne and glided down to the woman with such elegance it was as if he were floating. Circling her, he eyed Anya curiously, taking note of her height and features.  
"Who are you?" he asked; his voice like liquid gold. Anya swallowed hard and looked to the floor.

"My name is Anya..." she trembled. In a flash, a hand grabbed her chin and lifted her head up quickly. Anya stared into ice blue eyes and felt her heart beat quickly.

"What are you? You are neither elf nor human; you are small in height. Yet, you hold no features of the dwarven race." Thranduil inquired, taken aback by this woman's appearance

"I'm a human..." Anya replied, slightly confused.

"Surely you jest! In all my years roaming this world, never have my eyes looked upon a human as small as you. Are you of two races?" Thranduil asked once more, completely forgetting the fact that she was a stranger walking in his wood, as was so enthralled with her that he took a seat once more, staring intently at her.

"I was born this height. Both my parents are human. I'm a Homunculus; perfectly sized miniature human being." she explained and watched as the information spun around the elf's mind.

"Intriguing. I have never met one such as yourself, nor do I believe such thing exists among the race of men for I would have heard of, or at least seen one in my time. You are indeed unique, child"

"I'm not a child thank you very much" Anya growled instantly; clearly fed up of being labelled so and completely forgetting that she stood in the presence of a king. Thranduil raised his eyebrows at her spunk and sat back in his throne. She had a burning confidence about her and it made him interested in her. She was clearly different among all beings he had met and he wished to know more. As he sat, staring, the guard beside her cleared his throat and stood forward, gaining the kings attention.

"My king, she was found among a party of dwarves. We have one with us just outside. The remaining company are held up with the spiders. A scouting part has been sent to retrieve them just moments ago" Thranduil widened his eyes and looked upon the woman with a great deal more interest.

"You seem to surprise me even more. Tell me; why is one, such as yourself, with a party of dwarves all the way out here in these parts?" spoke the elf; his voice ringing like chimes in a breeze.

"I can't answer that" she stated firmly and the boing king frowned instantly at being denies information.

"In whose company did you enter my realm?" he pressed on.

"I- I can't answer that either" she replied, a little more uneasy. Thranduil then glared and looked to his guard.

"Send it he dwarf that stands outside. I would see in whose company this so called 'Homunculus' travels" Quickly, the guard left Anya's side and left the throne room in pursuit of the other soldiers whom held said dwarf in custody. Not many moments later did the guard return with a dwarf, blindfolded just like Anya. The blonde woman turned around and took in a deep breath. She noticed that figure anywhere. Feeling relieved that he was safe, Anya turned to face straight forward once more. The guard removed the blindfold from Thorin's face and Thranduil instantly stood to his feet. "This is whom you take company with? Thorin Oakenshield, son of Thrain, son of Thror"

"Thranduil…" Thorin spat in disgust. His eyes then trailed over to Anya worriedly and looked her over. She appeared unharmed. Thorin then thought. What if Thranduil found out about their partnership? Would he then do something dreadful to Anya? Would he separate her from him? His thoughts were disturbed when the demanding voice of the elven king.

"Dwarf, why did you and your folk three times try to attack my people at their merrymaking?" Thorin glared at the blonde elf and scoffed loudly before replying

"We did not attack them. We came to beg, because we were starving." Thranduil bared his teeth at the dwarven king and shot over to him, standing over the shorter male in an attempt to appear daunting.

"Where are your friends now and what are they doing?" He inquired.

"I don't know, but I expect starving in the forest." Thorin replied and Anya could not help but smile at Thorin's responses.

"What were you doing in the forest?" Thranduil demanded once more, but Thorin was not willing to budge.

"Looking for food and drink, because we were starving" As soon as the words left the dwarf's mouth, Anya laughed aloud and gained the attention of both males. Thranduil glared at the woman and straightened his back.

"This amuses you, woman?" Thranduil inquired bitterly.

"I don't think you can compete with his sass" Anya spoke, confusing both males. Thranduil took several steps towards the woman.

"Why is a human in the company of dwarves? Answer me this. Who is she to you?" the elf asked Thorin but kept his gaze upon Anya at all times.

"She is a friend of the company" Thorin replied, protecting her identity, but he was not aware of the pang of hurt that hit Anya in the stomach at being labelled as such.

"Is this true?" Thranduil questioned Anya. The blonde woman glanced over at her love and watched his subtly nod at her. She was confused, hurt even. Taking a deep breath, she nodded. Thranduil hummed at the information given and took a step back regarding both. "Send this woman to the dungeons; I shall deal with her later" instantly a guard grabbed the woman roughly and Thorin felt anger rise up in himself.

"Be careful with her!" Thorin snapped. He did not want them to harm her in anyway, nor the baby that was inside of her. His reaction however caught the king's attention.

"Oh? And why pray tell, should we listen to you, dwarf?"

"She is in a delicate situation" Came Thorin's reply in a growl and Thranduil raised his eyebrows, and with an open mouth he looked to the small woman.

"Bring her to me…" He said, walking back to his throne to take a seat. Anya came before the throne and she looked to the floor, a feeling of dread spreading inside of her. "A delicate situation? Tell me, mortal; what situation would that be?"

"None of your business you nosy twerp" Anya spat and suddenly regretted it when the guard beside her, struck her face for speaking to the king in such a matter. Thorin growled loudly at what just took place, but Thranduil remained calm and collected.

"Are you aware of whom you speak to?" He questioned the woman.

"Goldie locks?" she replied, not caring for what the guard might do once more. She had enough of this obnoxious elf. Thranduil frowned and sat forward.

"Enough! You will speak to me with respect, wench, and answer the questions which I deliver to you. Is that understood, lest I be forced to take further actions against you? As it is, you have already trespassed in my woods."

"I speak with respect to those who deserve it. You, my good man, are an obnoxious bully. I won't take orders from you or anyone else. Do what you like, you snob!"

"Guard, take this venomous witch to the dungeon. I will hear no more of her lack of disrespect." Thranduil spat, with dark eyes. Anya yelped as her arms were held behind her back and pushed toward the exit of the room. Thorin watched as the elf handled his fiancé harshly and he felt his blood boil. Clenching his fists, unaware of the elven kings eyes upon him, watching every move of the king under the mountain with questionable eyes. "You harbour feelings for that mortal" Thranduil stated, almost pleased with himself. Thorin snorted and glared at the blonde being, returning his attention to him.

"You know nothing, elf" Thorin snapped.

"It seems she gets her charm from you. I hear that your friends are on their way. Let's not keep them waiting…" Thranduil waved another guard forward and nodded to the dwarf before him. "… Take him to the dungeons. See to it that he is placed with that woman. I could not bare to think that they were separated" He replied sarcastically. Thorin hissed at the elven king as he was roughly grabbed. He glared at Thranduil with the hope that looks could kill, but inside he felt afraid. He did not have his nephews with him. He did not know how they fared, nor if they still lived. The quest was now put on hold and Thorin feared whether or not they would actually leave the god forsaken halls of the Elven King of Mirkwood.

000

"Take your hands off me!" Thorin snarled as they walked into a darkened area filled with large cells. The guard pushed Thorin forward toward a cell that was open, ignoring the dwarf's protests. Thorin ungracefully fell into the cell and glared up at him. The elf bared his teeth at Thorin as if he were a beast and quickly closed the cell door, locking it in an instant. Holding onto the keys, the elven guard left the room in haste.

"Thorin?" Anya whispered in the dark and scrambled on her hands and knees forwards toward the dwarf that led on the floor. The blonde woman cupped Thorin's face in her hands, breathing heavily in the darkness. Thorin blinked up at her, stunned at the current situation.

"Are you ok?" He whispered to her. Anya removed her hands and sat back onto the floor, remaining silent. This unnerved the dwarf king and Thorin looked around frantically in the darkness. "Anya, are you well?"

"I have a pain…"

"Where?"

"In my stomach… I don't know whether it's because im hungry or because I fell when that Elf pushed me in here" Anya replied, feeling frightened.

"Come to me" Thorin spoke and the woman shuffled toward him in an instant. She moved onto his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck. The son of Thrain held Anya's waist, keeping her close to him.

"Im scared" She spoke into his ear. Thorin took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

"As am I"

000

"Get yer filthy hands from me" Dwalin snapped in annoyance as both he and the remainder of the company were shoved into the great halls of the king of Mirkwood. Thranduil remained seated on his throne, with his crown of leaves and berries upon his head. He looked down in disgust at the gathering of dwarves in his home. They were dirty, disgusting beings, he thought to himself, and surveyed the expression of each of them until his keen elven eyes came to rest on one dwarf whom had a great resemblance to Thorin son of Thrain.

"Why are you in my forest?" Thranduil questioned said dwarf.

"Looking for food" Kili replied, unimpressed by the way they were treated; as prisoners. Thranduil took a deep breath, attempting not to lose his temper at the response that was delivered him.

"Why were you so far from your home dwarf? What business do you have in this area?"

"Leave the lad be" Balin butted in.

"And who are you to command me, dwarf; You who stand in my halls? Why are you in my realm?"

"Where is Thorin?" Fili snapped. Thranduil ignored him and glared at the company once more.

"It is a crime to wander in my realm without leave. Do you forget that you were in my kingdom, using the road that my people made? Did you not three time pursue and trouble my people in the forest and rouse the spiders with you riot and clamour? After all the disturbance you have made I have a right to know what brings you here, and if you will not tell me now, I will keep you all in prison until you have learned sense and manners!" (*) "…Send them away! Lock them up"

000

Bilbo watched the whole scene pan out as he hid behind a pillar. As the company of dwarves were ushered from the hall toward the dungeon, he thought to himself, 'I must help them, but how?'

000

(*) - A direct quote from J.R. 's, The Hobbit in italics.


	26. Chapter 26

Anya shivered and shivered. It was cold to say the least in the darkness of the dingy dungeon. All that was there to comfort both her and Thorin was a bed of straw. The lack of light made the experience all the more unnerving. Anya, several times, clung to the dwarven king with fear that something was lurking in the darkened corners of her prison cell. Her mind was working overtime and every noise, every movement they made, increased her fear. Anya kept her eyes closed, her fists clutching onto Thorin's tunic, breathing unsteadily. She was hungry and tried to add to everything else and the baby and its health plagued her mind also. It was little over an hour when the prison door flung open and an array of protesting voices sounded. Thorin instantly perked up at the familiar voices. "Get yer filthy hands from me, Elf" sounded Dwalin's voice, angered and frustrated. The elven solider rolled his eyes and removed the warriors shackles before pushing him into an empty prison cell. Balin followed just after, and both were locked in together. Then came the RI brother's turn. Ori, Dori and Nori, much to their dislike, were pushed in rather harshly and jumped at the loud sound of the metal door slamming shut. Bombur was given a cell to himself after the Elf remarking that he was the size of two dwarves put together. As soon as he practically rolled in, Bombur fell asleep on the hard floor. Bifur and Bofur were thrown into a cell opposite Bombur's, across the way, leaving some distance between them for the dungeon was no small area. Oin and Gloin followed shortly after, being placed in a cell beside the two cousins. And finally the young Durin brothers were shoved, none-to-kindly into a cell not far from the one in which Thorin and Anya occupied. Although the dwarves were placed near each other, not one cell was attached to another and each cell was at least a small rooms-breadth apart, a similar size to master Baggins food cellar in which the merry dwarves once raided.

The Elf left in a matter of moments after Fili and Kili were locked up, leaving the miserable beings in the darkness of the dungeon. "Balin, are you well? He was not gentle with you" Kili's voice echoed in the darkness.

"Aye lad, Dwalin broke my fall." Balin responded, trying to spot some sort of shape in the pitch black darkness. Thorin sat silent a little longer; listening to his men, wanting to make sure all was well with them.

"That was brave of you Kili, to stand up to him" Bofur announced.

"Yes, yes it was" Gloin agreed.

"I hate elves…" Fili interjected, frowning in the shadows.

"Well, at least we are safe in here and not in danger of getting killed by spiders" Dori offered to lighten the mood.

"Be that as it may; we are stuck here now" Nori replied.

"I'd rather face the spiders again that be stuck here in the midst of elves" Oin grumbled.

"Me to…" Ori muttered.

"Is Bombur sleeping? Bombur?" Dwalin questioned on hearing a snore in the darkness. Bifur answered his question by a grunt in old dwarvish and many of the dwarves chuckled.

"I just hope Uncle and Anya are well…" Fili said, suddenly solemn and the others hummed in agreement. Thorin smiled at his nephews concern and held onto the now sleeping Anya as he shuffled to the door to get a clearer sound.

"We are well" Thorin suddenly spoke and several gasps sounded.

"Thorin, is that you?" Fili sounded, rather hopeful.

"It is I, nephew"

"Is Anya with you?" Balin inquired.

"She is. She is asleep." Thorin retorted, though his reply came slowly and painfully. Several members of the company picked up on his change of tone. Thorin swallowed hard and looked down at the sleeping woman in his arms, just making out the greyish colour that was spreading across her skin.

"What is it laddie?" Balin questioned once more. Thorin sighed loudly.

"I think she may be ill." The king under the mountain replied in the blackness of the cell, feeling utterly exposed emotionally and physically. At that moment Anya moaned in her sleep and turned slightly, giving a sudden shiver. "She shivers. It's not cold in here; I don't understand"

"She is probably just weary. We have been through a great ordeal these past few days" Bofur tried to reason to the son of Thrain.

"Maybe the lass needs food; she is carrying a child after all" Dori spoke up, concern etched in his voice.

"We have not eaten for almost four days; it worries me to think that it is doing damage to both her and the child. These elves cannot starve us; that would be callous of them to do such a thing, even if we are enemies" responded the dark haired leader of the company.

"Did you tell Thranduil of her condition?" Kili spoke up suddenly.

"No, I feared what he might have done if he were to find out that she was with child" admitted Thorin.

"Perhaps you should have. At least she would get food. I don't think the elven king is so heartless that he would starve a pregnant woman" Nori interjected. Thorin nodded at tha comment, although he knew that he could not be seen in the darkness. It was quiet for some time after that. A sniff here and there, a cough, a shuffle against the hay on the floor; was all that sounded. No one spoke; whether it was because they were too afraid to or too tired was still unknown. Thorin slid backward, pulling Anya with him until he leant his back against the wall. Slowly he felt himself drifting into a light sleep.

0.0.0

"Psst. Thorin? Are you awake?" a voice came in the eerie darkness of the dungeon cell. The leader of the company shot up straight at the closeness of the voice and grabbed a rock that led beside him, in an attempt to attack whatever was lurking beside him. "Thorin? Are you there?"

"Who are you?" Thorin whispered menacingly.

"It is I; Bilbo Baggins" the voice came, with a comforting tone. Thorin's eyes widened. The hobbit! They had forgotten about him in the situation at hand. But why was he silent when the dwarves were reunited. Why did he now alert them of his presence? The dwarf king dropped the stone on the floor and scrambled away from the sleeping Anya towards the bars of his cell door.

"Are you well master Baggins? You have kept silent all this time." Thorin spoke, squinting in the darkness, finding that the hobbit was nowhere to be seen.

"I am well. Are you and Anya?" Bilbo inquired softly.

"Yes, yes we are fine. Bilbo, why can I not see you? Where have you been?" asked the son of Thrain, squinting even more, but finding that he still could not see the merry Halfling.

"I did not tell you before, for I could not find the right time to mention it, but in the misty mountains when you were captured by the goblins, I was captured by another enemy. In the bottom of the caves, by dark murky water was this... This thing; it held human features but it was not. I cannot explain what it what, for I do not know. It gave me an ultimatum; win a contest of riddles and be led to an exit, or lose and be eaten by him. By some miracle I won, but it did not take this lightly and pursued me with great anger. Upon trying to escape his grasp, I found a ring. I took it but thought nothing of it. I came to a rock side and squeezed myself through but I tripped. As I fell, the ring flew into the air. As it somehow landed on my finger, the thing passed me, but could not see me. I realised that I was invisible with it on; magic ring! Moments later I saw Gandalf and the rest of you run past, leaving the mountain. I kept the ring on and ran past him to catch up with you... That is why neither you nor the elves can see me; I have the ring on" explained the curly haired hobbit.

"I doubted your abilities completely master Baggins. I truly thought you had left us. All the while you were battling and ordeal all by yourself. I owe you an apology Bilbo. You are definitely more than meets the eye. And of this ring of yours; a genius idea."

"You need not apologise Thorin, like I said on the Carrock; I doubted myself too. I even surprised myself in the forest of Mirkwood, slaying that spider. I plan to use this ring, to somehow find a way out of here for all of you. It may take some time, but I will find a way."

"That is truly noble of you dear Halfling. I feel useless in this... This cage. On your travels, if favour finds you, collect some food. Not for me, but for Anya; I fear for her. She is hardly responding to anything and complains of pains in her stomach. Surely that is not normal for a woman with child" Thorin replied sounding more melancholy by the minuet. Bilbo hummed in the darkness and shuffled a little on the floor, trying to look past Thorin at the woman lying across the floor.

"Indeed, that is strange behaviour. I will be sure to look for nutrients for her. What of you Thorin, honestly, how to you fare?"

"I worry more for the men than myself..."

"I ask about you, not them. I know they are well." Bilbo said sternly. Thorin smiled at the hobbits concern, and sat back on his backside, not caring about the barriers if his emotions any longer. He had been through too much to care.

"I feel weary master Baggins. There is not much more to say"

"maybe you should rest then; there is nought you can do here"

"maybe you are right. But what of you Bilbo, what will you do?" Thorin inquired.

"The guard left the door to the dungeon unlocked. I shall leave and be in pursuit of some food for Anya and hopefully a way out" Bilbo replied. Looking around in the darkness. Slowly Thorin reached his hand through a gap in the door. Bilbo took it, slightly confused, and was surprised that the king held his hand tightly in his.

"Thank you Bilbo... For everything" Thorin whispered. With his free hand, Bilbo tapped the top of Thorin's hand and smiled.

"You are welcome... My friend" Bilbo replied and his response made the king under the mountain smile gratefully. Bilbo saw him as a friend, not a leader and that warmed his heart. Pulling his hand back through the gap in the door, Thorin listened to the hobbits movement. "I shall return soon." was all that Bilbo said before he scurried from the room.

0.0.0.

"I cannot see a blasted thing!" Dwalin grumbled loudly, several hours later of the meeting between Thorin and Bilbo.

"How do we even know if it is morning?" Ori spoke, moving his eyes around the area. You could make out the outlines of objects, but nothing more. But the young hobbit was thankful that at least it was not completely black like the mirkwood forest where it seemed as though they were blind.

"We don't. I bet the elves love this." Fili grumbled, pulling his knees up to his chest, wrapping his arms around them.

"We still have our lives, that is something to be grateful for" Thorin interrupted the complaining and the dwarves fell silent for a mere moment.

"How long are we going to be stuck here?" Bofur inquired.

"As long as Thranduil sees fit. He did after all state that we would never leave lest we give him the information he requires and we are unlikely to do so" Balin commented. "Thorin, is Anya awake?"

"She still sleeps. I cannot shake her from it" replied the dark haired king of Erebor.

"She must be ill indeed" Dori spoke gravely.

"I do not want to think in such dark terms. Our quest already stands on the edge of a knife. If her heath declines also whilst we are stuck in this dingy, forsaken place, then we might just lose our minds." Spoke Balin from the shadows, sitting next to his brother, frowning in sadness at the situation.

"All is not lost. Our burglar has deceived the elven scum" Thorin began with a steady voice.

"You have heard from Bilbo?" Said Kili with hope etched in his voice, and his eyes shining like a child at Christmas. Thorin smiled at his childlike reaction and hummed in acknowledgement of his question.

"He has acquired a ring; one with power. It enables him to appear invisible to all when upon his finger. He is in pursuit of a safe exit for us all. He has been brave in his actions." Explained the son of Thrain.

"I am relieved to hear he is well, but also proud of the little Halfling for what he is doing for us" Nori admitted in the shadows.

"He has proved to be a great member of this company" Was all that was said by Thorin, king under the mountain.

0.0.0

The Elven king sat on his throne with a regal posture, looking down at his imperial guard with a somewhat smug expression. He was aware that he had a very efficient army, and he took no steps to hide such information. It was said among the race of elves that Thranduil was the so called 'snooty' one between all the royalty and leaders, though he would strongly disagree. He just knew what he wanted and how to make the best of everything. Mostly Thranduil put up a front. He did appear up tight, unwilling to help those in need, such like the situation regarding the desolation of Erebor, but that was not true, well, not completely. The fact was he was tired of war, of death, of negativity. When such situations arose that would involve such things, he steered away from them the best he could.

The elven king, looking over his men with pride, thought in that moment, that the dwarves were planning something that could jeopardise the peace between the mirkwood realm and the land of middle-earth. Whatever they were planning to do could bring misery or even more desolation upon them, and that burned an unknown fury within the king pit of his stomach. Clenching his fists, rising to his feet, Thranduil turned his attention away from his men to the female elf standing beside him, on guard. "Tauriel, something unsettles me; I wish you to do something for me"

"My lord?" Tauriel waited, stepping before her blonde master, her red locks swaying beside her perfectly shaped elven features.

"It came to my attention that that woman was in a delicate situation. The dwarves will not let on to their reasons why they were journeying this far into my realm. I wish you to bring the human to me. If she will not speak, we will pamper her in her 'situation' until she feels relaxed enough to let on."

"As you wish my lord" Tauriel responded and turned away from her king after bowing in respect, taking with her two soldiers just in case the dwarves became violent whilst removing Anya from their presence.

"I will find out, if it means tearing the line of Durin apart" Thranduil commented and dismissed his guard, returning to take his seat on the throne.

"What are your intentions for the dwarf's father" A voice suddenly sounded in the hall.

"Legolas do not sneak up on me so. What I intend is no concern of yours"

"It is if it involves Tauriel or myself doing your bidding, with respects father" Legolas replied, coming to stand before his father, crossing his arms in question.

"If it were to affect you in anyway my son, I would surely let you know. Now, leave me, I am in need of silence" Spoke Thranduil.

"As you wish father"

0.0.0

"Do not touch her!"

"Let her go!"

"She is in no condition to be moved!"

"Get your hands from her you filth!"

"Silence Dwarf!"

*THUD* and *SILENCE*


	27. Chapter 27

Tauriel marched with two guards behind her down to the dungeon where the elven king held the company of Thorin son of Thrain prisoner. The corridors leading to the dungeon were dark and dingy, completely opposite to the beauty and pristine condition of the rest of the realm. The darkness did not affect the elves sight on the way down; their keen sight proved effective in the shadows. Rounding a corner that led to a narrow opening, Tauriel pulled out a key and slipped through easily. Once through, she pointed to the door and indicated for the guards to stand ready outside invade of an up roar with the dwarves. Turning the key in the lock, Tauriel opened the door and peered into the darkness, eyeing every cell. Spotting the cell at the end with the king dwarf and the female, Tauriel made her way towards it in silence. The dwarves watched suspiciously as the female entered and made her way to their leader. Nothing was said. There was nervousness in the air, that was certain, but no one dared speak. Holding Anya tightly to him, Thorin glared at the elf approaching them. "Thaeddo, this one" she spoke loud and clearly, and one of the guards entered the dungeon and walked straight to the cell door, taking out another key and slid it into the lock. Soon after the cell door was flung open and Tauriel stepped inside the closed space. Staring at the pale looking woman intently, Tauriel frowned. "She does not fare well" Tauriel stated, addressing the dwarf king. Thorin could not disagree with the female elf and looked down at his love in his arms; the elves still shielded from their relationship. "The king requests your presence" Tauriel continued, though it was not clear to whom she was addressing and so Thorin, naturally, assumed it was him.

"Why, so he can try and force answers from me?" spat the dark haired male. The red haired elf glared at the male and shook her head.

"I was not addressing you, master dwarf. It is she the king wants."

"Why?" Fili called out from his cell, listening to the conversation taking place between his uncle and the elf; all the while, his brother, Kili, watched in between the cell bars, admiring the elf maidens rather beautiful features.

"I know not why he requires her presence. I am her on orders. I do not question my king" Tauriel responded, glancing over at the young voice.

"She will not go" Thorin snapped and Rose to his feet, coming to stand before the elven maiden, blocking Anya from her view.

"She will. Now, please, move aside. I have no intention of harming you or igniting an argument. I am doing my duty" Tauriel replied, taking a step forward, but Thorin did not move. The red haired elf sighed, knowing that the dwarf's stubbornness was not going to budge. "Thaeddo, if you would please" the guard stepped into the cell and took told of Thorin's arms roughly and held them behind his back with some struggle, with him trying to fight him off. Tauriel strode over to the woman on the floor and regarded her pathetic and weak expression.

"Stay away from her!" Thorin spat, struggling against the hold on him. The other members of the company had now risen to their feet and all began calling out in anger and protest at the elves in the darkened space; the little light that shone into the room from the outside highlighting the events taking place. Anya feebly brought her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them in an attempt to shield herself from the guards, though she knew deep down that that would prove ineffective.

"I will not harm you; come. Thranduil is awaiting your presence" spoke the elven woman, coming to stand very close in front of the human. Reaching out a hand, Tauriel took hold of Anya's arm and pulled her quickly to her feet. Anya swayed at the sudden height and felt a shooting pain up her spine. Groaning loudly, Anya instantly reached out a hand and took hold of Tauriel's arm to stop her from swaying. "Ethddion, come here and take her. Be careful with her. She is fragile" not a moment later, the second guard that had followed Tauriel walked into the dungeon and into the cell in a split second and scooped Anya into his arms, wrapping her arm around his neck.

"I want to stay with Thorin!" Anya protested and Ethddion began to walk away, but Anya took hold of the cell door and held on with all her might. "No, I want to stay; let me go!" Ethddion attempted to pull Anya's arm away none to gently and the human woman yelped in pain at the sudden tightening around her arm.

"Do not touch her!" Thorin yelled in complete and utter rage, pushing back on the elf holding him in an attempt to break free.

"Let her go!" Balin chimed in, fearing for the woman after hearing her yelp.

"She is in no condition to be moved!" Fili snarled, grabbing onto the bars of the cell and shook them in his anger.

"Get your hands from her you filth!" Thorin spat, elbowing Thaeddo in the stomach. Thaeddo groaned, and with an annoyed voice replied

"Silence dwarf" and without warning to Thorin or Tauriel, Thaeddo let go of the dwarves arms and brought the hilt of his sword down on his head with some force causing the dwarven king to fall to the ground instantly, in a heap of silence.

"Thorin!" Anya shouted in unison with the company at their King falling to the ground; limp. Tauriel frowned at Thaeddo and his conduct and ordered him from the room, followed by Ethddion with Anya in his arms, whom had now lost the ability to struggle against the male. After taking the keys from the guard, Tauriel locked the cell that Thorin led in and made her way to the exit. As she walked past the cell with Fili and Kili she paused a moment after noticing a pair of eyes locked onto her. Looking into the cell, her eyes fell upon a brunette male, whom held extremely handsome features for a dwarf, just like the dwarf king, Thorin. She gathered that he must have been a relation judging by the familiar features.

"My apologies; I had no intentions to bring harm on anyone this day" She spoke to the young dwarf and Kili moved in nearer to the light so that both could see each other's faces much more clearly.

"Is he going to hurt Anya?" Kili inquired quickly, thought there was no sign of hatred in his tone. Tauriel recognised this and was surprised. He was the only dwarf to speak to her without distain.

"No" Was all Tauriel said.

"Can we trust the word of an elf?" Dwalin spat through the bars, his tone sounding like venom touching an open wound.

"You can trust mine" She replied, but never took her eyes from the young dwarf before her, and Fili noticed this. "I will send someone in with some food and water. You all look hungry"

"That would be good of you lass" Bofur commented in the dark. Tauriel nodded her head and turned to leave, but a voice, once more stopped her in her steps.

"Thank you, miss" Kili said.

"Na Lu e-govaned vin, Aier" (Until next we meet, short one) She said with a smile and a nod of the head and left the dungeon in one swift move. Kili watched her leave and gave a quiet sigh.

"What did she say?" Gloin questioned, feeling irritated.

"I don't know. I don't speak elvish, do I?" Kili replied and moved back to his seat in the darker area of his cell, and once more the prison was filled with darkness.

"Thorin, are you ok?" Balin spoke up, hoping that the leader of the company was awake.

"He took a heavy blow" Oin said solemnly.

"Uncle, are you awake?" Fili questioned, but still no answer came and dread began to sill the pit of every one of their stomachs.

o.o.o

"My lord, we have the human" Tauriel spoke as she walked into the king's throne room with Thaeddo an Ethddion in tow, with Anya in their arms. The elven king sat up early and observed the pale woman. She had worsened in health since last he set eyes upon her and this paused question as to exactly what was wrong with her. She appeared gaunt in her face and weary under her eyes from lack of sleep exhaustion. As the elven guards brought the woman closer, Thranduil spotted something rather odd, given the appearance of the rest of her body; her stomach seemed a little swollen. Perhaps an illness of some sort? He pondered, Pregnancy not even entering his mind. Coming to a halt, the elf set down the woman onto her feet and she looked up at the blonde king with a hint of fear in her eyes.

"What do you want from me?" Anya questioned, her voice breaking as though it were her first time in speaking in years. The elven king took note of this and Rose to his feet, stepping down from his throne. He circled the woman and noticed her quiver at his presence. This again was different in behaviour. Upon their first meeting she was overly confident and cared not about whom she spoke to. But now, now she was cowering before him as though he we about to partake in some inhuman acts against her.

"You are Ill" Thranduil stated, ignoring the human woman's question. As he spoke, out of the shadows approached a similar looking elf, Anya noticed. Legolas walked to his father's side and regarded the woman before him and was shocked to say the least at her appearance.

"What, in all the world has been done to this woman. Father, your promised that no harm would befall this company, yet here this woman stands, with a look of death upon her face as though starved and depraved of all that is good in this world" Legolas gasped and his father looked upon him with a great frown.

"I have not harmed a hair on any one of their heads. Her illness is all but known to me. If she will not tell me what it is that puts her in a 'delicate' situation, as that dwarf so put it, then she only has herself to blame. I am not as vile as these dwarves make me out to be" Legolas nodded at his father in understanding and walked to the side of the woman.

"What is wrong; tell me so that I may help you" inquired Legolas Greenleaf. Anya felt her strength leave her; she could not argue back, she could not find it within her ability to do. Sighing loudly with a short not, Anya looked past the prince and up to Thranduil face, and with a pang of guilt she said two simple words.

"I'm pregnant" Thranduil, Legolas and Tauriel stood silent for a moment, playing over the answer in their minds, though it came to different conclusions for each. Firstly, Tauriel thought, 'why did she hide this, she could damage the child because of the lack of care and food?' What courses through the prince's mind was, 'why was a pregnant woman in a prison cell?' And lastly, of course, Thranduil thought, 'who is the father?' Anya shuffles uncomfortably and Tauriel noticed this. Not thinking, she began to question the king's prisoner.

"when was the last time you ate?" for Tauriel, being a woman and seeing many maidens with child in her time knew that feeding for both during pregnancy was important for the Childs growth, health and survival.

"I don't know. How long have I been here?" Anya asked, glancing up at the red head.

"Four days" Thranduil replied, turning his back to take his seat once more upon his throne.

"Nearly a week then" Anya answered and silence settled once more.

"Take her to the healing chambers immediately. Make sure she is tended to and give her food and drink" Legolas replied not a moment later to Thaeddo and the elven guard nodded, picking up the woman. Leaving the halls with great speed both disappeared out of sight. "I am surprised she is still conscious!" Legolas spat, feeling disgusted that the woman has not been provided for.

"It must be the dwarfs" Thranduil mused, ignoring his son's disgust. Tauriel arched her eyebrows and stared at her king intently, questioning his statement with utter confusion.

"What makes you say that?" she inquired curiously. Thranduil smiled at his female guard and sat back in his chair Leisurely, crossing one leg over the other, restive his arms of the side of the chair.

"The way he protected her on arrival; his anger and frustration about their separation. Is it not obvious? That human carried the child of Thorin Oakenshield, son of Thrain son of Thror inside her. There is royal blood now in her veins. That is why Thorin denied any relationship between them: to protect her" Thranduil said with a smile and a laugh at having placed the pieces of the puzzle together. Tauriel and Legolas glanced at one another and the prince sighed a little.

"Even so; their relationship is their own business Ada, not ours." Legolas spoke, regarding his Father with questionable eyes.

"Yes, indeed" was all that the elven king said, in a mischievous way, before dismissing all the elves before him.

.

His head was pounding and it felt as though the world was spinning faster and faster. As he attempted to open his eyes, the urge to vomit kept arising, but he held back. Finding that there was darkness when he opened his eyes fully, his baring became familiar once more. A groan escaped his mouth, painfully so and he moved to his hands and knees in an attempt to push himself up onto his feet, but his head kept spinning, keeping him from doing so. "Thorin, are you awake now?" a voice called out, belonging to that of the kind White haired dwarf, Balin. Thorin tried to respond but found himself groaning once more, placing a hand on his head. "How are you laddie? You took a nasty blow"

"the room spins fast" Thorin managed to say and fell back onto his bottom and sat down.

"I wanted to strike that elf for what he had done to you, uncle" Fili snapped harshly, kicking the hay that led on the floor in his cell. Thorin smiled at the remark; his nephew clearly cared for him.

"Do not fret. I am well. I just have a headache. Let us hope our young burglar returns soon enough to inform us on an escape route" Thorin spoke.

"There is one flaw to that plan now, Thorin" Bofur commented, feeling guilty for bringing down negativity on all that remained for hope for the dwarves.

"And what may that be, master Bofur?" Thorin inquired, sighing heavily, knowing that nothing was ever simple when it concerned the company.

"We know not where Anya resides as of this moment. We cannot escape without her" Suddenly a unanimous groan of defeat sounded followed by angered scuffs of feet and slaps of hands.

"Let us wait for Bilbo's return. We shall decide what will happen after he has delivered his plan. While we wait, we best pray no harm comes to Anya or the child" Balin offered in the darkness. Thorin shuffled into the corner of his cell and closed his eyes, trying to block out the unimaginable things the dwarf king thought the elven king was capable to commit against the human woman.

.

Bilbo strolled through the corridors after leaving the cellars where several elven guards sat, enjoying lunch. He had thought of a way to help the dwarves escape. He thought it to be genius, although he dreaded Dwalin's reaction and also that of Bombur's; he being overly large. As he rounded a corner, his eyes rested upon a room with a glow shining outward of a window in the door. Being a curious hobbit, it was natural that Bilbo approached with eagerness. Thankfully, the window was low enough that the Halfling could look through when on tip toes. As his eyes adjusted to the light shining through, his keen sight rested upon a figure lying in a white bed with lights surrounding the bed. As his eyes focused even more, he spotted Anya. Gasping at the sight of her lying helpless surrounded by several elves, Bilbo felt unsteady. Why was she here and not with Thorin. Something was clearly not right. Just as he was about to look once more, footsteps sounded beside him. Thranduil approached at some pace, with a frown upon his face, with something clearly on his mind. He came to stand by the hobbit and Bilbo was thankful that he had the ring on at that moment and was hidden. The king opened the door and entered the room, ordering the elves inside to leave the room. Instantly they obeyed and Bilbo watched as he took a seat beside the bed and stared intently at the woman. 'He is up to something' Bilbo thought, 'I must inform Thorin'.

Not a moment to loose, the Hobbit broke out into a run towards the dungeons. He feared at what was brewing in the Elven Kings mind and how it would affect the Company and the quest.


	28. Chapter 28

"I want to see them. I don't want this treatment when they are all stuck in that lousy dungeon. How does that seem fair at all?" Anya snapped at the elven king that sat beside her, looking at her intently, surveying her swollen stomach as she led on one of the many guest beds in his wooden realm. Thranduil said nothing. Instead he turned his head away as if in deep thought. This troubled Anya greatly. Was there a reason for this special treatment other than helping her stay comfortable in her pregnancy? It was an unsettling thought to think that there was a hidden agenda behind the royal male's actions. "Your not going to let me see them are you?" Anya came to the conclusion.

"A place like this suits yours needs, given your pregnant state. I do not see the dungeons a fit enough place for one such as you"

"why would you even care? You despised me until you found out I was pregnant."

"It is the dwarf kings is it not?" Thranduil cut straight to the point, looking back at the blonde woman, indicating to her slowly growing stomach.

"Yeah, and?" Anya challenged, hating the animosity between both of the races. Thranduil nodded at the confirmation of his Guess and sat back in the wooden bedside chair, pausing a moment in thought.

"Where do you come from?" Thranduil asked after a long moment of silence.

"What's it to you?" Anya retorted to the elven king. He frowned at her disrespect but made the biggest effort to bite back his anger.

"You reside in my realm; it is by rights that I should know"

"I don't 'reside' here by choice! I have the choice not to say anything to strangers and obnoxious kings; after all my parents taught me that. Mind your bees wax they said when I stuck my oar in. So now I'm saying it to you; mind your bees wax" Anya said, her confidence now returning after being seen to by the healers. Thranduil clenched his fists and Rose to his feet, feeling exasperated by this woman's sheer rebellion towards him. Never in all his years had he come across one such as her. Anya crossed her arm and looked away in defiance although deep down she felt afraid that he was going to do something. The elven king, elegantly yet frustrated made for the door, wanting nothing more than to scream in the woman's face.

"that child of yours will be unbearably stubborn" Thranduil made a snide remark and Anya simply smirked at the male and leant backward on the bed, clearly indicating that she was not fazed by his attempt of wounding her verbally. With a clench of the teeth and fists the elven king left the room in haste.

0.0.0.

"everything alright I over there Dori? Your lot are rather quiet" Bofur said after the company paused a moment in their chatting.

"I believe so. Nori, you alright lad?" Dori asked in the darkness. A tut sounded followed by a sarcastic reply from Nori

"yes mother" several of the dwarves chuckled at the banter between the brothers the once again fell silent.

"What of you Ori, how are you?" Dori inquired to his younger brother, but there was silence. "Ori, lad, you awake?" still silence.

"Tis not like the lad to sleep when all are awake" Dwalin suddenly spoke, his voice etched with concern. Balin and Thorin hummed in agreement. Dori took note of this and fumbled around in the darkness to where his younger brother was in the corner of their cell.

"Ori my lad, why are you silent?" he asked as he reached the writers side. Yet again, there was silence; unnatural silence and this began to unsettle the company.

"Laddie?" said Dwalin.

"Ori, you ok?" kili's voice came next.

"Dori, is he awake? Can you tell?"

"I'll try shaking him awake, he must be sleeping from exhaustion" Dori pondered aloud. Shaking the body on the floor with some force in hopes of waking the young dwarf, Dori creased his brow. "He does not wake!" he shouted moments later. Nori rushed over in the darkness towards his brothers and came to the other side of Ori. Placing a hand on his head, Nori felt an overly hot temperature caress the palm of his hand.

"He is hot!" exclaimed Nori. "he has a temperature" Thorin sighed in sorrow at the news of one of the members of his company falling ill then kicked himself the next moment at not being able to do anything about it.

"When that elf comes back with food, we should tell her. She can help" Kili offered in the heat of panic.

"We will never see our brother again if she takes him away, just like Anya!" Dori snapped back, his motherly instincts over his brothers kicking in.

"Oin, do you have anything with you that could help the Lad?" Gloin spoke and his elder brother grumbled.

"I do not. Those elves stripped everything from us. Besides, how do you suppose we get it to them? Tis dark!" Oin replied.

"We ask the elf" Thorin suddenly spoke and the company silenced, even Dori and Nori. "There would be no need for him to leave if we ask her to supply the medicines needed to bring Ori back to health. If she is as 'nice' as my nephews says she is, she will do such a thing for us."

"Agreed; I do not believe she would hold something like that from us" Nori spoke, despite his elder brothers huffs and puffs.

"Just keep the lad comfortable until then" said Dwalin.

"The door just opened by itself" Bofur broke the silence, feeling rather worried about the strange sight. Thorin curiously moved to the front of his cell and peered, squinting through the darkness to the door that know was left ajar. The slight sound of a putter patter of feet sounded and a small smirk spread on the king under the mountains face. Standing to his feet he spoke with a clear voice

"it did not. Master Baggins, I was wondering when you would appear" a warm, friendly atmosphere filled the dark space and a soft chuckle sounded.

"I can't get past you anymore it seems Thorin" Bilbo joked and the others gasped at the Halflings voice and being unable to see him.

"You shouldn't have let me in on your secret master hobbit..." Thorin replies with all the more jest in his voice "... Pray tell, you come with good news?"

"I would say good and bad; when I life ever that simple to just have good news? To start off with a cheery note then, I have devised a plan to get us out of this dungeon. Though, now we have a problem that could affect this..." Bilbo explained, still invisible to all.

"What would that be?" Kili inquired of the small Halfling.

"Anya, she is under guard of Thranduil. I saw them both in a room together. He seemed to be questioning her. The problem is; how do we get her and get out?"

"Are there guards outside the door of her room?" Thorin inquired after a sigh, resting his head against the bars.

"Not when I came across the room." answered Bilbo and Thorin nodded. "That is good then. We can work around that. We cannot move however until Ori is well. It would do us no good to take him like this"

"we have already been here for days! We are to wait for even more?" Bombur whined.

"Would you rather leave here a complete company or one down Bombur? Stop thinking of yourself and your stomach. We wait for Ori's health to improve!" Thorin snapped at the brother of Bofur. The large dwarf grumbled at the telling off and sunk into himself, crossing his arms. Bilbo approached the cell of Thorin and slipped his hand in through the bars placing it on the dwarf kings shoulder. Thorin jumped a moment at the sudden contact and instantly relaxed, knowing it was just the hobbit. "You have done well Bilbo; I am incredibly thankful"

"well, I had to put myself to some use, what sort of burglar would I-"

"shhh, someone is coming! Bilbo remain silent!" Balin suddenly hissed in the darkness. The dwarves held their breath as the dungeon door was pushed fully open and three elves stood in the doorway looking in. Suddenly a figure pushed past the gathered elves and stepped into the now lit area. The dwarves held expression of utter disgust; that was until young Kili set his eyes upon the elf that had entered swiftly. It was her again, he noted. She turned to the others and ordered them to bring in the baskets and leave. Several gave a questionable look, but Tauriel dismissed them nonetheless and was left alone with the dwarves. Tauriel instantly faced the cell of the son of Thrain and bowed her head to him. Although he disliked their race, Thorin had the courtesy to bow back.

"I must once again apologise for the treatment you received from one of my men. No harm was meant to come to you or the woman. I have brought food and water as recompense. There is enough to quench your hunger and thirst for some time. I cannot provide you with more; I do not want my master to know of this kindness which I serve you. He would be sure to remove me from your presence." spoke the red haired elf.

"You have done more for us than we ever expected from your race. We are thankful, greatly so" Thorin responded with a slight smile. Tauriel turned her focus to the baskets and removed the cloth that covered them. Picking out several freshly baked loaves, she handed out, through the bars, one each for the dwarves. When she reached the cell of the young Durin dwarves, she paused a moment, looking into the alluring brown eyes of Kili. This was noted by all.

"Hello again." Kili spoke, his voice slightly unsteady.

"Greeting young master dwarf" Tauriel responded, handing him a loaf. Kili took with a great smile and quickly responded

"Kili" Tauriel's brow furrowed at the dwarves response and remained silent. "My name is Kili" the young one added noticing the confusion.

"I am Tauriel." came her reply and she quickly moved onto the cell of the king. After distributing the loaves quickly between all, she returned to the basket and picked up small wine skins and repeated the action.

"This must have taken time to do" Dwalin commented with a mouthful of bread. The she elf did not respond, but instead moved the baskets into a pile and pushed them into a dark corner of the dungeon to stay hidden. As she straightened she gazed into one cell and froze, her ears twitching.

"His breathing is rapid..." she spoke gazing at the slumped figure of Ori.

"He needs treatment... But we do not want him to leave these cells. Can you help?" Gloin answered.

"I am no healer" Tauriel commented. Stepping toward the RI brothers to get a better look at the young dwarf. She noticed the red to e to his skin and the perspiration along his brow. "Does he have a temperature?" she asked of Dori and he nodded in response. "It may be nothing more than a cold. I will go to the healers supplies though I cannot promise anything, for I am not supposed to be conversing with you, let alone aiding you"

"that would be good of you lass" Balin spoke, with a gentle smile. Tauriel returned the smile to the dwarf and turned on her heels, looking back at Kili for a moment.

"I shall return" she spoke more to him than to anyone else and fled the dungeon, closing the door behind her instantly.

"She is taken by you, nephew" Thorin suddenly commented surprising everyone at the calmness in his voice speaking of such things. Kili did not say a word. Instead he quietly ate his bread. Thorin looked down at the food given him and broke it into two. Taking hold of one half, he slid his arm trough the bars and cleared his throat. "Bilbo, take. Eat." Bilbo gratefully took the bread and ate in silence, not realising exactly how hungry he did not touch the sides and was devoured in mere minuets.

The dwarves and Master Bilbo remained in the dingy, dark and damp cells for over three weeks. It seemed to be unending. It felt like months; the time spent in the realm and the dwarves began to lose hope on the quest, on their escape, on everything. Tauriel kept to her word that night she visited the dwarves to deliver food. She returned and brought with her several ointments and the such and gave them to the Ri brothers. Thankfully they were what the young dwarf needed and within a few days Ori came around and was back to normal with thanks to the elven lass. Tauriel, in that time had visited the company thrice more to deliver food, and every time made sure to speak with young Kili a little longer. A friendship was blooming between them and even Thorin and Dwalin were taking to the red head for she was not like the others of her kind.

Bilbo had travelled back and forth to the room where Anya resided, to check on her condition. Unfortunately, Bilbo was never able to enter the room for it was always locked, although he did watch many time as the elven king visited the woman. It disturbed Master Bilbo however to see that at every meeting both seemed to get rid of the hostility between them and talked for many hours. The hobbit could not hear the conversation between the human and elf so he could not tell whether or not the elven king was sugaring her up in an attempt to spill the beans on the reason as to why the dwarves were so far from home.

Thorin had become withdrawn in the time spent in the cells. He did not speak unless spoken to and sat in the darkness. All he could think of was his love and the child that was inside her. The dwarven king of Erebor worked it out that she would be just a few days over four months pregnant. He was distraught that he was not there for her. He imagines scenarios based on the information from the hobbit that the elven king was wooing the woman in an attempt to get her to join him. It was possible, Thorin thought. Anya was a pretty woman and Thranduil would love to get anything over on the dwarf because of the animosity between them. He prayed to his God that Anya was still loyal and the she still thought of him.

Anya however, almost forgot about the company. It was as Thorin had feared. Thranduil visited the woman every day; talking with her, even joining her in a meal. On several occasions he took her for a walk around his realm for her to get some exercise during her pregnancy. Anya's stomach grew as was expected, and she felt the effects in her back and legs. The elven king made sure to distract her attention from those she once loved so that her thoughts were completely his. He had begun to grow fond of the mortal woman and delighted in her company, that was true, but even now, after these weeks past, he still wished to know what the dwarves were hiding.

It was on this new day, where every dwarf sat silent in the darkness, did Bilbo emerged through the door at a rapid pace with what sounded like a ring of keys in his hand. Taking off his magic ring, exposing himself to all, he raised the rings above his head in excitement, a smiled spreading across his face. "The elven guards fell asleep! I took their keys. There is not much time before they wake and realise. There is a cellar not far from this dungeon that holds empty barrels; barrels that are large enough to fit us all in. I have been monitoring the guards. Every evening they send the barrels down the river and from the realm, thinking they are waste. If we climb in them and hide, they will unknowingly send us to our freedom! It will be uncomfortable, but it is the only option. Come!..." Bilbo began to unlock each and every cell in haste and ushered the dwarves together in the middle on the dungeon.

"That is all well and good, but what of Anya?" Fili questioned, squinting as the new found light was exposed to his eyes.

"Her room is on the way. If we are quick and light on our feet, we can break her out and get to the cellar in time. We have a few hours to spare before the drop off begins" Bilbo explained and the dwarves hummed in agreement. Bilbo quickly glanced at the leader and noticed the solemn expression on his face and sighed. "Follow me, and be quiet!" Bilbo then said and quickly but quietly the company left in haste. Coming to the door, Bilbo checked both directions and turned to the right, leading the dwarves down a lit corridor. For some time they turned here and there, stopped at every faded voice and footstep until a wide corridor came into view. Up ahead there was a room, with light bursting forth, just as the hobbit first saw when coming across the room. Turning to the middle ri brother, Bilbo spoke. "Nori, you are good at breaking into things"

"Why thank you" Nori replied, bowing mockingly and several of the dwarves smirked.

"Can you unlock that door?"

"I can surely try master Baggins" Nori replied and was about to walk toward the door when he stood still. "Master Baggins, im not genius, but would there not be a key on that ring that would open this door?" Bilbo's eyes widened and he lifted the several keys to his face

"Of course!" He exclaimed and rushed to the door, trying every key. Just as Nori had said, there was one key that opened the door. The dwarves held their breath a moment, in silence. Thorin walked past all of his men and all eyes were upon him. Entering the room, Thorin gazed upon the sleeping form on the bed. He noted that she was of a healthy complexion and his eyes roamed over her stomach. Indeed it had grown. Walking to the bed, Thorin threw aside the duvet that covered her legs and gently scooped her up into his arms with slight ease. Staring into her face with his stomach churning in happiness, the dwarf king made for the exit. Suddenly Fili turned up in to door way.

"Hurry, someone is coming!" he said with fear. Thorin nodded and watched as his men ran past up the hall. Thorin followed at a slightly slower speed with Anya in his arms, still asleep. It seemed that they ran for miles through the wooden corridors lightly lit by candles. Bilbo, after ten minutes came to a halt in front of a large oak door.

"This is the cellar" He stated and pulled out the keys, instantly recognising the key previously used by the elven guards. Pushing open the door, Bilbo carefully, but quickly descended the cold stone steps followed by the dwarves and Thorin with his hands full. Coming to a stop at the bottom, in a chilly room, the whole company looked upon the stacked up wooden barrels.

"I have the feeling we are going to regret this" Balin commented, never taking his eyes from the barrels.

"You're not alone there" Thorin answered, looking down at the woman who now looked up at him with wide, fear filled eyes.


	29. Chapter 29

Anya glanced up wildly at the man in whose arms she hung and felt fear rise up in her heart. He looked familiar but she could not put her finger on it, she could not place him. It was as though he had been taken from her memories. Nevertheless, she was frightened. She forced back a scream, a yell, anything, and instead, fisted her hands tightly. Thorin looked down at her with sorrow. He had never seen such an expression on her face and it made him wonder what Thranduil had did or had said to her for her to look upon him with such terror. Bilbo took the kings attention from the woman when he exclaimed that there was not much time, and began to direct each dwarf into a barrel. When it came to Thorin and Anya's turn, Bilbo paused. "There is a barrel large enough for you to share, just over there. Would you like that or prefer to ride alone?" inquired the curly haired hobbit. Anya looked dazed at the Halfling and nervously awaited the dwarfs reply. Thorin sighed heavily and placed Anya onto her feet.

"It would be wise for us to take separate barrels. Two of us together may be cramped and she needs space for the baby." spoke Thorin, bowing his head slightly. Bilbo noticed this and shuffled awkwardly from one side to the other for a little while before nodding and pointing to one of the larger barrels.

"Anya, are you ok with climbing in? We will put the lid on nice and tight once you're in" Bilbo spoke and Anya glanced unsurely at the Hobbit.

"I- I don't understand. Where are we going?" Anya inquired causing both of the members of the company to frown in confusion.

"Anya, we are escaping" Thorin said with an even tone. "We have been locked up here for too long."

"But, but what about Thranduil?" She asked her emotions all over the place. Thorin glared at his love and fisted his hands instantly.

"What about that elvish scum?" He snarled. Anya took a step backwards and cradled her stomach in fright.

"He was kind to me. He helped me. He comforted me and was there for me each and every day" Answered Anya, tears filling up in her eyes.

"He poisoned you; against me, against all of us. These feelings which you think you now have towards Thranduil, they are not real. It is all in your head, not in your heart. You must trust me. We must leave if we are to get out alive. This is no place for you, or our child." Thorin spoke, fear inside his heart as he dreaded the fact that Anya now be against him completely.

"I- I am confused. I don't know what to think. I want to go home" Anya's voice shook as she stepped away further from the dwarf king and the hobbit.

"The quicker we leave the sooner we will get home, to Erebor" Thorin said.

"Erebor isn't my home, England is, Cornwall." As soon as the words left her mouth it was like a sharp dagger penetrating the son of Thrain's chest and being dragged down his torso with some force. Thorin swallowed hard; the realisation of Thranduil's succession of turning her against him completely evident.

"Bilbo, help her into the barrel would you" Thorin exhaled loudly, looking to the floor. Feeling awkward during the whole conversation, Bilbo kept silent and simply nodded, taking Anya's arms gently, leading her toward said barrel. Anya begrudgingly climbed up into the barrel with little easy and perched herself comfortably at the bottom. After nodding to the Hobbit to let him know all was well, Bilbo placed the lid to the barrel on top and securely fastened it. Satisfied that she was safe inside, Bilbo turned to the king dwarf and gave him a sympathetic glance.

"Thorin, I am sorry" He said quietly so that it was only audible between them both. Thorin nodded in recognition to the curly haired male as he walked to the empty barrel next to that one belonging to Anya.

"As am I…" He said and hoisted himself up and into the barrel. "… Bilbo, who is going to place the lid on your barrel?" Thorin inquired, lifting his head up to look at Bilbo with concern.

"I calved small holes earlier on in the lid of my barrel. I can pull it on securely from the inside, and as long as I keep my ring on, the elves won't see me inside"

"You have thought of everything master Hobbit. You have an endless knack of surprising me." Bilbo smiled at this remark and nodded to the leader of the company before placing the lid on tightly, leaving the last dwarf in complete darkness and tight spaces. Not long after, the young hobbit placed himself inside his own barrel, and, as stated to Thorin, he reached his slim fingers into the holes of his lid and pulled it on with some force, shutting himself in.

"So, what now?" Dwalin grumbled from inside his barrel"

"We wait" replied Bilbo, simply.

"I am not a patient dwarf, especially when shoved into small spaces" Gloin responded.

"Well suck it up, this is the only way for us to escape, just like master Baggins stated." Dwalin grumbled once more. Thorin smiled a little inside his dark space at his old friends reactions and wrapped his arms tightly around himself.

…

"My Lord, you summoned me?" Tauriel spoke, approaching her king whom sat on his throne in a regal position, looking down his nose in annoyance. The red haired female came to a standstill and felt sudden dread fill her insides. Never had her king looked up her with such distain. It worried her greatly.

"Tauriel it has come to my attention that you have been fraternising with those dwarves" Thranduil spoke, breaking the awkward silence.

"Fraternising my Lord? I merely provided food and water for those of them who were in need and of ill health. I did nothing more than that. I would not go behind your back my Lord and did what is wrong in your eyes."

"The cooks have complained to the guard that much food has disappeared from the pantry; was it your intention to give them a feast?" scoffed the king of the woodland realm.

"My Lord, the dwarves have an insatiable appetite for food; the mere scraps that were provided would have starved them to death. It would not do well for this realm if one were to find out that the King of the last dwarven realm was starved to death, along with his company, in the halls of the elven king" Tauriel answered, feeling brave against her king.

"That is not your decision!" Thranduil shouted, standing to his feet instantly. "No matter their lineage, if they have trespassed in my realm, and if they deem a threat, I may do with them as I so see fit. By providing them luxuries that I did, and would not have granted them in my prison, the fear and care that they once held against me, is no more. Should I ever let them see the light of day again, they will expect, expect, expect, and this is down to your lack of judgement Tauriel. I am disappointed in you…" Thranduil stepped up right in front of the red haired female and placed his hand gently on the woman's cheek. "…You are the finest, most endowed guard in my service; that is why your place is at my side, along with my son. I expect you to abide by all my rules and requirements and not stray from them. Do not anger me in such a way again Tauriel. It would be my deepest regret to remove you from my guard. Am I understood?" Tauriel nodded silently, unable to look her king in the eyes. "Good…" Thranduil then moved his hand to the red haired elf's chin and lifted her face up level with his own. The Elven king smiled at her and placed his lips upon those of Tauriel's for a moment, nothing more, then pulled back. "… It would be a shame to say the least, to have you no longer at my side…" Tauriel swallowed hard, making sure not to reveal her distaste for the kiss she was just delivered from her king. "Now, you will no longer be required to deliver food to the dwarves. I have assigned another for this position" Tauriel felt her heart sink inside and images of the young dwarf that she had met flashed before her eyes. It saddened her to know that she would never look upon him again, never converse with him again. Nevertheless, she nodded, obeying her king's request and finally looked at him in the eyes.

"As you wish my Lord" Tauriel spoke, her voice low. Thranduil smiled and removed his hand from her chin, turned around and walked over to an open window that was just a little way from his throne, and looked out at his realm with pride. "Is that all you want of me, my King?"

"Yes. You may leave. I shall be visiting that human once more this evening. Make sure that the healer has the draught I require ready to administer to Anya" replied Thranduil and Tauriel frowned.

"My Lord, is she ill?"

"No, she is most well" Said Thranduil, spinning around to face the female elf. "Why do you ask?"

"If she is well, then why is a draught being administered to her?" inquired the curious guard. Thranduil smirked and cocked his head to the side.

"These visitors have made you rather curious of everything and anything. It is nothing you need concern yourself with. Now go, do ask I ask." Tauriel sighed and turned on her heels, leaving the room solemnly with thoughts of the draught and Kili plaguing her mind.

0.0.0.

Thranduil strolled elegantly down the corridor towards the room which Anya resided. As he came to the front of the door, he peered in and froze. The bed was unmade and the room empty. Thranduil gritted his teeth and turned harshly on the spot, walking at great speed toward the dungeons.

"My Lord, the dwarves, they have gone!" A voice suddenly sounded as a male guard ran toward the elven king, emerging from the dungeons.

"They are not the only things gone. Search the realm. Do not let them escape!"

0.0.0

"It's about time this lot was gone" A voice sounded in the cellar and all the dwarves and Bilbo held their breath, keeping as quiet as they possibly could so as not to be heard.

"Ok, let's give them a shove" said another. A quick push was administered to the front barrel which Bombur resided in followed by a grunt. "Im sure these barrels are getting heavier"

"Stop complaining, I heard the King required the presence of all in the next hour. We don't want to be late. I'd rather keep my position"

"Ok, don't just stand there then, and help me push"

"Right you are… Ok, ready…one…two…three" and just like that, Bombur was pushed free and was instantly swept along with the current of the water followed none too gently by the rest of the company, all of whom were holding their breaths, hoping that the sudden movements would not cause them to make a sound.

0.0.0.

"I think im going to be sick!" Dori shouted out some hours later and they continued to bob up and down on the water. By now, many of the dwarves had popped off their lids and stood up, watching the scenery go by as they spun and turned and swayed. Thorin was among the few who kept resided in the barrel, and silent. The company was too busy dealing with the current predicament that none seemed to stop and realise this. But Thorin was safe and sound, but deep in thought.

"Hey Fili, this is something to tell mother, is it not!" Kili shouted in glee, ignoring Dori's despair.

"It would be unwise to let your mother know of this, master Kili" Balin said unsteadily, clutching onto the side of the barrel for dear life.

"Oh Balin, what is an adventure without drama, am I right Fili?" Kili chuckled in response and Balin grinned. "I bet the lazy toad has fallen asleep" said Kili not long after, grinning at the old dwarf he once called teacher. Balin smiled thoughtfully and looked around at the other barrels, some open some closed. Kili felt suddenly strange, not having his brother respond and did not know what to do with himself. "Uncle? Thorin?" He called out. On hearing his nephews call, Thorin finally popped the lid from his barrel and lifted himself up unsteadily.

"Yes Kili, what is it?" Thorin asked, squinting as the sun attacked his eyes.

"Is Fili near you?"

"I am not sure, nephew. Fili?" Thorin spoke to a barrel that floated beside him, but after some struggle it was not Fili the emerged but Anya, pale and tired. Thorin sighed at the sight and went to speak until Kili cut off his train of thought.

"Everyone, take the lids off your barrels!" Shouted the young brunette dwarf. Complying, lids eagerly popped off and splashed into the water… bar one…


	30. Chapter 30

The dwarves looked around frantically for the missing prince and in a split second felt their hearts sink as they eyed a lone barrel, bobbing on the water, with the lid still sealed shut. Gloin, the closest to it, frantically reached out it in an attempt to pull off the lid, but it was to no avail. Moments later Nori called out; they were approaching a river bank and that was their best bet. All those that floated alongside the shore quickly climbed from their barrels and stood, watching in panic as Thorin, Gloin, Kili and Bifur tried their hardest to round the barrel up as they were gradually, ever so slowly, drifting to the shore. After minuets of swaying furiously, Thorin caught hold of the barrel as Bifur held his barrel steady with one hand while using his free arm to push the water behind him to move them closer to shore. Gloin and Kili followed said action and soon the dwarves found themselves falling out of their barrels as they hit land. Quickly, unlike most dwarven movements, Thorin scrambled to his feet and rushed to the closed barrel. Thorin grabbed hold of the lid in either hand and furiously pulled and pulled, but it was somehow jammed. Calling Dwalin over to help, the two dwarves rushed, trying to break the seal. With Dwalin's strength added, the lid came off cleanly with a loud pop and water flowed out from the inside. Pausing a moment, watching the rush of water, Thorin felt his heart beat faster and faster. Dropping to his knees, hearing his nephew Kili behind him sobbing quietly, Thorin swallowed hard. Reaching his arms in, Thorin felt a wet shirt and with what strength he had left, he pulled, dragging the body with him. Fili emerged from the barrel, drenched and pale and the whole company fell deadly silent. Laying the blonde prince on his back, Thorin placed his ear to his chest and whimpered quietly to himself as he heard no beat of a heart. Wiping away cilia hair from his face and opening his mouth a little way, Thorin placed his own on top and began to breathe air into him. After a few moments he broke his mouth away and looked to Fili's chest, placing his hands atop it, and pressed down, in an attempt to encourage his heart to beat. It seemed to take ages as Thorin moved from mouth to chest to mouth to chest. Kili stood, red eyed and quivering as he saw the lifeless body of his brother of the river bank. Balin comforted him the best he could, and the remainder of the company watched in horror as the heir of Durin made no attempt to wake. That was until, after the tenth press on the young prince's chest did a loud gasp sound followed by frantic coughing. Fili had woken. As he took a breath of air, he instantly turned his head to the side and vomited up all the water that had made itself at home inside him as he was trapped in the barrel. Once all of the water was released, the blonde Durin dropped back onto his back as stared up into the bright sky with a dazed expression. Thorin exhaled loudly in relief and dropped back onto his heels as he placed a comforting hand on the brow of his elder nephew. Kili shouted for joy and rushed to his brother's side in an instant whilst the others smiled and clasped one another's back in victory. Fili looked around, but said nothing. Thorin noticed this unnatural silence from his nephew and he sat onto his backside, pulling up Fili onto his lap, resting his nephews head on his shoulder; an act of affection that surprised all of the company. Thorin placed a hand gently on the side of Fili's face and looked deep into his emotionless face. "Fili, you are safe now..." Thorin spoke. Kili came to sit beside his uncle and also looked at his brother's face finding the blank expression on his face somewhat unsettling. Balin realised that this moment was personal for the king and his kin and so moved the company away, encouraging them to gather wood and make a fire to warm the cold prince. As they did so, Balin took to comforting the shocked and weary Anya who stood still and appeared somewhat different.

"Brother, say something. That must have been quite frightening for you" Kili spoke, frowning at Fili whom stared into space. When no reply came, Kili whimpered and looked to the floor. On hearing the noise, Thorin turned his attention to his youngest nephew and felt his heart strings twist and turn.

"He is safe and well Kili, as are you. Do not let you would become downcast. Rejoice that your brother is alive" Thorin reassured. Kili glanced up at his uncle and shook his head.

"I will only rejoice when I hear his voice. Why doesn't he speak?"

"Kili, your brother practically drowned and was brought back to us; that is some ordeal that would shake a person. I think it is just the shock of what has happened." explained Thorin with a comforting smile.

"I don't know how the water even got in his barrel. There were no holes except his lid and that didn't go under the water." spoke Kili, sadness evident in his tone.

"Perhaps when we drifted over the rocky crags in the water a while back, the bottom of his barrel caught on the rocks. Anyway, it will do no good to linger on what Happened. All that matter is that he is safe now; we all are" as Thorin finished speaking, Fili shuffled on his lap and both dwarves glanced at the heir of Erebor. Fili's eyes were now focused and he looked up at his uncle with a confused expression.

"Uncle?" he said, his voice coarse. Thorin smiled back warmly and leant forward, pressing his forehead against Fili's. Kili grinned as the sound of his brother's voice filled his ears and he moved closer, placing his hand on his brother's arm.

"You're ok, Fili" Kili reassured and Thorin pulled away so that the brothers could look at one another.

"I- I don't understand... What happened?" replied Fili, looking around at the scenery after smiling at Kili.

"You were locked in your barrel with water. We thought you dead, but you have been delivered us anew!" Kili exclaimed excitedly.

"Is this so?" Fili questioned, looking to his uncle, almost disbelieving his brother's words.

"Aye, I encouraged you to breath once more" Thorin responded in reference to administering compressions on his chest and breathing into his mouth.

"I owe my life to you then!" Fili gasped, looking at his uncle in awe.

"Nonsense; you owe me nothing. I am relieved to have you with us once more." answered Thorin with the shake of his head. "... You are my nephews; I would do anything, whatever means necessary to keep you safe and alive. Now, come, I believe a fire has been made. Let us get you there to warm up. I'll not loose you from a cold after this ordeal." Fili agreed and wrapped his weak arms around his uncle's neck as Thorin slowly rose to his feet, scooping up the young blonde. Kili watched and followed as the leader of the company walked toward the others and quickly placed Fili next to the fire.

"That'll warm your right up laddie..." Balin spoke, pointing to the fire as he approached the young prince with a smile. Fili nodded graciously and held his hands towards the fire to warm himself. Kili sat beside him, practically on top of him to keep his brother warm. The leader of the company smiled thankfully at both of his nephews; safe and intact and glanced up at his old friend. Balin glanced back and nodded before turning to face Anya whom sat on her own, arms wrapped around her legs that were pressed tightly against her chest. The son of Thrain followed the White haired dwarf's eye line and looked upon his love. Anya! He had forgotten her in the midst of maddens and worry with his eldest nephew. Abandoning his nephews, the dark haired dwarf made for the woman, ignoring all curious eyes of the company whom, although curious, were exhausted. Anya stared blankly forward and shivered slightly. Thorin came go stand in front of the human woman and placed his hands gently on top of her own. The blonde woman instantly jerked away in shock and looked up in terror at him. Thorin once more found his heart sinking in sorrow and dropped back to sit on his heels.

"Are you well my love?" he asked, his voice coarse. Anya nodded slowly but did not speak. She turned her eyes from the dwarf king and remained silent. "What did that elvish scum say to you to turn you so silent and cold toward me? I have done nothing to deserve this. I have done everything with you in mind and for your safety..."

"is it true that you only love me, gave me a child, so I could be an icon, and interest for all, to show your race, when you retake Erebor, that you have once more built an alliance with the race of men?" she questioned, now glancing at the male before her. Thorin scoffed in disgust and shook his head.

"What animosity! I love you for you, not for your race or any other reason! Do you really have to ask that, after all we have been through? Can you honestly believe such diabolical nonsense!"?

"He- he said so many things... It all made sense to me. He was so kind too. He would bring me a drink every day and some food... It was like he wanted to be my friend" Anya explained and Thorin frowned taking in the information.

"Were you not served food and drink by the guards?" he inquired, seriously.

"Of course, I don't understand what this has to do with anything" Anya replied.

"Why was he bringing you separate drinks? What did it taste of?"

"I don't know, I wasn't sure what it was. It tasted nice though..."

"Anya, I think- I think he was poisoning you. When I saved you, you looked at me as though you did not know me. He was brainwashing you... Against me" Thorin commented, summing things up in his mind. Anya paused a moment, thinking on Thorin's words and remembering back to the eagerness of the elven king when he gave her the drink. She could never put her finger on the taste, that was true; and it made her tired somewhat afterwards. Truth rang loudly in Thorin's words and an overwhelming flood of guilt came over her and she broke down into tears.

"I thought he was my friend. I completely forgot about all of you! I was relishing in the treatment I was receiving and it was all a farce" Thorin sighed heavily and leant forward, wrapping his arms around her, pulling her close. "I'm sorry I gave into him."

"It is not your fault Anya; he was after you with vicious intent. He saw our child as an opportunity and you as an Instrument to work with." Thorin continued to comfort Anya until she fell asleep in his arms, and gently he leant her on the floor.

….

"There is nought for us to eat. We are to catch a cold and we are to starve. Perhaps the better fate for us was to remain in the cells. At least when we were there we were protected. We have no weapons to protect us; nothing." Dwalin grumbled aloud as he sat in front of the fire with a face full of thunder. Thorin glanced up at his old friend and took in his words. What he said was true. They were left bare and vulnerable. What were they to do? Where were they to go on from here? What was the point of fighting for their home if they had nothing except the clothes on their backs. It was futile to resume such a quest it seemed. The others sighed and shook their heads in dismay and silence fell upon them, until a voice spoke.

"I think a solution is at hand" Bilbo announced with a hint of glee in his voice.

"And what, pray tell, would that be laddie?" Gloin inquired, rolling his eyes at the hobbit.

"Either my keen eyes deceive me, or that is a town across the way. I see roofs and smoke. Im sure an orc pack would not take to the comforts of a home, so it cannot be them" instantly, every dwarf turned to look at the place of which the hobbit spoke and many jumped to their feet in glee.

"Indeed master Baggins, you have some keen sight. I see a town also. If I am not mistaken, judging by our whereabouts, that is Lake Town! A place of men!" Bofur exclaimed. "My father travelled from Erebor to that town every quarter, to collect merchandise. It is a friendly place if I remember rightly; a dwarf loving race"

"Then what is keeping us here? Let us be off!" Dori shouted in glee.

"Fili nor Anya are fit to travel much more this day. We rest for the remainder of the day. We set off for that Town at sunrise" Spoke Thorin with a new found confidence in his voice. He felt his insides warm up as though his gods were smiling down upon him. The company hummed in agreement and returned their gaze back to the fire, except Ori. Thorin rose to his feet and strolled over to the young dwarf, who was not that much older, a year or so, to his nephews. Practically still a dwarfling. "Why do you stand alone?" Thorin suddenly spoke, causing the nervous dwarf to jump in surprise.

"Pardon me, my Lord, I was just in awe of the Town. I do not believe I have been to a human settlement. I was in thought as to whether it was very much like ours or like the elves." Ori replied, stuttering here and there in nerves. Thorin smiled at this and placed a hand on his shoulder to reassure him that he need not be nervous around him.

"They are very much like us, I believe. Although their women are not like ours, there isn't much difference to culture at all. It will do you good to see this race."

"They sound rather exciting, my Lord. I do apologise for my child like reactions to such a thing. Im afraid I have been shielded by my brother much of my life" Ori spoke and Thorin chuckled; a smile brightening his face.

"You need not apologise; you are much like Fili and Kili than you realise. Come, you are trembling, heat yourself up by the fire. I have the feeling you will need as much warmth as possible. This night may be a cold one"

"Thank you my lord" Ori nodded and followed the king-to-be of Erebor back to the others. Tomorrow could not come soon enough.


	31. Chapter 31

"We need to get going, the sun is almost high in the sky and we cannot subject ourselves to vulnerability much longer" Thorin announced, looking around with exhausted eyes at his company. Several nodded in agreement whereas the remaining company grumbled and huffed. Fili was still weak, but he knew that his uncle was right; what were to happen to them if an Orc pack descended on them? They had no weapons to defend themselves and fists alone were no match for Wargs and their riders. With the help of his brother, Fili stood to his feet to show his support for his uncle. Thorin was thankful and expressed this with a kind smile and a nod of the head. Balin and Dwalin were next to their feet, ever loyal to their kit and friend. Slowly the rest followed. Thorin glanced over his men once more and nodded to them to take their leave, whilst waiting toward the back for his love. Anya gradually walked along, her expression dazed. He hated what that elven king had done to her, how be confused her and almost wiped him from her memory. The king under his soon-to-be reclaimed mountain gently placed his hand and the bottom of Anya's back and walked with her at a gradual pace. She did not speak, but looked on. Although she stood beside him, in his arms, still with child, he felt as though she was no longer his, that she was just a member of the company, nothing more. The love they had for each other felt almost non-existent; not on his part of course, but neither was it her fault. The dwarf king feared that this confusion she had, this fear and vulnerability would cause her health and the unborn Childs health to decrease, and that, that picture he could not bare. These thoughts that plagued his mind were confidentially shared with his councillor and friend Balin the night before after he had encouraged young Ori. The elder dwarf was at loss for words; he had no comforting words for Thorin, for he did not know what to say. Elvish magic was one thing; by to be poisoned was another thing entirely. There was no guide book on how to deal with it, how to reverse the effects of what was done, so everything in regards to Anya was uncertain.

"Melissa would like this place. She always loved naturalistic surroundings. She would take her camera out and about and shoot photos of all kinds of trees and flowers until her memory card was completely full. Sometimes we would make a Picnic on a Saturday and go into the woods behind the private estate and have lunch amongst the trees. She would bring her camera and I would take my guitar and we'd spend hours and hours there. I miss that..." Anya suddenly spoke, her eyes still focused on the road ahead. Thorin's brow furrowed in confusion at some of the things she said, not understanding, but remained silent nevertheless, enjoying the sound of her voice.

"She was a good friend to you?" Thorin offered a start to a conversation and after a moment's pause, the blonde haired woman answered.

"Yes. We grew up together. We were like sisters; inseparable. It was like that for us right up into late teens, until she moved. I'll never forget that day" said Anya, sighing loudly.

"Where did she move? Far away?" Thorin pressed, but every so carefully, not wanting to deter her from speaking with him. Anya nodded her head and continued to speak

"yeah. She moved with her parents to South Africa. Her father was African and wanted to move closer to his relatives, especially as his mother was Ill. Melissa's mother found a job there where she could teach English to the young African children. They saw the opportunity and took it. I never saw her again. It's been about six years or so. I could never afford to travel over to Africa; it's practically the other side of the world!" Thorin was saddened by her words. Although Melissa was not a family member, Anya had lost one who was very dear to her heart and he knew exactly how that felt. Removing his hand from her and crossing them behind his own, Thorin thought for a while as to how he would carry on their conversation without putting her off. He need not however, because as soon as Thorin crossed his arms behind his back, Anya spoke up.

"You ever have a best friend?" the question took Thorin by surprise and he glanced to the side to find Anya looking at his for the first time since the night before.

"I did, in my childhood. His name was Gaarish. Our friendship subsided when my father took me from the courts where the noble's children were and began my lessons of combat and of politics; being the oldest child, it was inevitable..."

"What about in your teenage and adult years? Everyone has to have a best friend right?" Anya questioned, moving closer to the dark haired dwarf.

"I saw my- I saw my brother as my best friend. When I was nearing the end of my lessons, he was not too far behind me in learning and age and so we found company in each other, not being able to build friendships outside of the family that would jeopardise our learning and status as princes of Erebor. Dwalin became a friend to both of us also. Balin worked for my father as councillor and so my father deemed Dwalin suitable for my brother and I to spend time with. Royalty and ruling can be a dreary experience when you are a young and excited dwarfling."

"Why didn't you give up your title then? You could have couldn't you?"

"Dwarves are a proud race, even if I wanted to, because I was the heir, I would have brought shame on the family because I did not want to take on the line of Durin. Besides, frerin spoke often of his lack of desire for the throne and very rarely would dwarf lass take place as queen lest there was no other way. I would rather endure the labour of the throne and title than bring shame upon my family."

"forgive me Thorin, but they are no longer around; your father and grandfather that is, so you have the opportunity to leave it now, don't you?"

"I made a promise to the dwarves of the Blue Mountains and to my sister, that I would restore Erebor to its glory and give the dwarves their home back. Fili is my heir, so I need not worry about lack of rulers should I abdicate"

"you got that wrong"

"what did I get wrong?"

"Fili isn't your heir now... Your heir is inside me" Thorin froze in his spot. He did not think on this one bit, not even when he was first alerted to her being with child. Fili, who was brought up on such a way and was lavished upon because he was the heir of the throne of Erebor, would now be placed to the side after all these years. Thorin would have Fili take the throne until his gold was old enough to claim it, but that in itself was not right on Fili nor his unborn child. What was he to do? Was Fili silently thanking him for the lack of duty now or was he seething behind that smile? The company realised that their king and Anya had stopped in their tracks and looked on with confusion as Thorin was glued to the spot deep in thought. Balin, the closet to the king bar his nephews and Dwalin of course, approached Thorin with some concern and his eyebrows furrowed as he placed a hand upon his shoulder.

"Thorin? What ails you? The men are somewhat concerned" Balin spoke softly and the dwarf king broke out of his revere and, bypassing Balin completely, he looked straight over at his elder nephew and gazed at him. Fili shuffled uncomfortably in his spot, questioning why his uncle was looking at him so. Had he done something wrong? Had he shamed his uncle and his blood line? Did almost drowning in the barrel show weakness to Thorin? As all these thoughts danced around in Fili's head the remainder of the company looked between the two in utter awkwardness. "laddie, what is it?"

"Keep moving" came Thorin's reply as he broke eye contact with Fili and looked to his old friend. Balin searched the king's face for some sort of answer, but when he found that Thorin was unlikely to share his thoughts at the current moment, he shook his shoulders with a sigh and turned, nodding to the others to carry on walking.

"What was that all about?" Kili whispered to his elder brother.

"I know not. Nor do I wish to find out..." Fili said solemnly in reply and stayed close to his brother's side.

"Was it something I said?" Anya spoke up moments after they resumed their walk.

"Yes, actually..." replied the son of Thrain. Anya bit her lip nervously waiting for the rest of his reply, and at the same time, feeling more and more comfortable with him, like old times. "You put it to my attention, a dilemma I now face. I have two heirs. Fili, my sister son, the one it was bestowed to because he was at the time, my only heir. Or do I now take such a thing from him, such a thing that has been placed upon his shoulders since he was old enough to understand and bestow the title of heir upon my unborn child who will not be able to take the crown until he or she is old enough to do so. I cannot place Fili on the throne until our child is old enough, for that would be cruel to him. By the line of succession, my child will have more right over Fili to the throne... But I do not think I have it in me as of now to take that privilege away from Fili who for so long has lived and been addresses as an heir. What would that make me to do a thing to my own sister son?"

"Whatever your decision, although it may hurt to start with, your nephews will respect and love you all the same. They know that being a king requires you making tough decisions. It can't be helped..." Anya retorted.

"So, you would have me removed Fili from the line of succession then, no matter his feelings?" Thorin scoffed, astounded by Anya's reply.

"Well, Thorin, by rights our child is the heir... So, yes." commented Anya.

"You would have me deny to him what was promised since his birth with the simple snap of my fingers with no regard to his feelings?" Thorin scoffed, astonished by his love. "What has gotten into you that you lack so much empathy?" he questioned and Anya glared at him furiously.

...

"I wonder what is wrong with him. Seems a bit distant to me" bofur spoke up as the company continued to walk on up ahead.

"Isn't our business, keep yer nose out" Dwalin grumbled and bofur pulled a face at the warrior dwarf.

"Weeks in that dreaded cell would make anyone distant and a bit off. Master Thorin is probably just adjusting to being back outside..." Dori offered, continuing the conversation.

"Also, there was that worry of both Anya and Fili's health. A lot has gone on. Nevertheless-" Bilbo started but was cut off by a loud voice behind him.

"Our child is important!" Anya yelled, standing in front of Thorin. The company turned and watched with open mouths as the two argued, completely oblivious to their audience.

"My nephews are important also. They are like my own sons! I practically raised them with my sister. The poor lads barely knew their father. I have responsibility over their lives too" Thorin snarled loudly, pointing over to his nephews. Fili and kili's mouths gaped open even wider on hearing those words leave their uncles mouth and looked to each other in surprise. They did not think that their uncle saw them as sons.

"I get that, but are old enough to look after themselves now." scolded the blonde human.

"They are still extremely young in my races eyes. They could be. In their hundreds Anya and I would still regard them as my young nephews who need a father figure to look up to. I love them as my own and always will. You cannot expect me to just push them aside because my own child is on the way. You are sounding incredibly selfish Anya. Listen to yourself!" shouted Thorin and flailed his arms at her in annoyance. Turning his back on her he looked over to his men. "Why are you stood there gawping? Keep moving!" he snarled. The company quickly turned on their heels and rushed away, leaving Thorin, angered and breathing heavily as he watched the back of their heads. Anya approached his side with a great look of disapproval but the dwarf king did not gaze upon her. Instead he looked around at the greenery and the large river that was coursing beside them. He could not bare to look upon the woman whom he did love so much with all his heart, and after that hearing her speak such hurtful words.

"So, are you not going to speak to me now?" She inquired, placing her hands on her hips.

"That Elf has poisoned you; changed you even. You are not the woman you once were. The Anya I knew would never have uttered such selfish words to me, especially not in front of my nephews who were the centre of our conversation. I cannot look at you right now, for fear I may react on my anger. Go to the others; I need to be on my own" He said in a solemn tone and Anya sighed loudly before storming off up front.

….

They walked for almost an hour when the roofs they once saw became large buildings upon the water surface; a lake town. It appeared to be a busy one, and very largely human populated. Upon noticing a wooden pathway leading up to an extremely large building, the company gathered and wondered. Were they to simply walk up into the human settlement? Would they receive them well or would they treat them in such a way as the Elves of Mirkwood? Although these thoughts plagued the dwarves and young Hobbits minds, as Thorin approached the company, he walked past them all and began to walk across the wooden pathway. A strong sense of confidence filled the son of Thrain's soul and he marched with such regal authority into the human habitat. On seeing the dwarves, small female and hobbit, the surrounding people paused in silence and gathered behind them until the dwarves stood in front of the large wooden building with a balcony at the front. Inside, the mayor of Lake Town sat at his table, enjoying the fruits of his towns labour, until the sound of curious and excited chatter resounds more loudly than usual outside. Curious as to what was taking place, the Mayor wiped his mouth on his napkin and stood from the table, walking over to his balcony doors. Opening them and stepping out, he looked down upon the large gathering of dwarves, who in turn, were looking up at him. "My, what an unexpected gathering in this town. What is a group of Dwarves doing so far from the Blue Mountains? Who be you?" Thorin stepped forward, separating himself from his men and announced in a loud voice.

"I am Thorin, son of Thrain, son of Thror, King under the mountain. I have come to reclaim my homeland" and with those words excited chatter lifted from the mouths of the people gathered and many clapped their hands in glee and enthusiasm. They were familiar with the tales of the Dwarven realm, of their talent in finding gold and harbouring such glorious treasures and how bits of the gold would flow through all the rivers as a sign of the Kings wealth and great ruling.

"Welcome, master Dwarves and friend to my town!" The Mayor of Lake Town exclaimed in a loud voice with open arms. "Please, please, come into my home, let me be introduced to you properly. We cannot speak like this. I would make the King of Erebor and his might men most comfortable in my Town. What a treat this is!" Thorin nodded in thanks and proceeded to the large doors before him that suddenly opened from the inside by two men, obviously guards. The company marched on with smiles at such a warming welcome they had received since their time at the home of Beorn all those weeks ago. The Mayor of Lake Town rushed down his stair and came to a halt in in front of Thorin who looked up at him with a gracious smile. "Please, sit, let my cooks serve you a meal; you all seem in need of one.

"That would be well receive among my men and me" Thorin replied and a smile broke across the man's face.

"Men, to the kitchen, prepare these fine fellows and Young lady a feast fit for Kings!"

"Please, please tell me your names. I am eager to greet the company of the famous Thorin Oakenshield!" The Mayor sat down on a chair next to a grand fire place and watched at the rest of the company took a seat around a rather large and magnificent table. One by one the members of the company of Thorin Oakenshield said their names with the bow of a head. "Its not a common sight to see a human woman and a Hobbit of the Shire in the midst of a mighty company of Dwarves. You must indulge me on how you met. I do enjoy a good tale."

"Perhaps over dinner; it is far too long to speak before it" Balin offered, standing beside his king.

"Of course! Would you care to take a walk around the town before dinner? I am sure the townsfolk would be thrilled to meet you all!" The mayor said kindly, rising from his seat.

"If it is well with you, we shall rest for now. We have walked many miles these past weeks gone; a comfortable and safe resting would be most appreciated" Bilbo answered, vouching for the individual dwarves, knowing that they would agree with his statement after hearing the others not an hour ago complaining of lack of rest and security.

"Yes, yes! Whatever you desire, it shall be granted. After all, we have a King in the midst of us, do we not. I assume you wish to stay and recover? Freshen up even?"

"Yes, please" Balin retorted with a grateful smile.

"I will arrange with the owner of the guest homes that room be made up for you all. We must have you rest in comfort." And so, the Mayor of Lake Town excused himself from the room and made his way to his guards, informing one to alert the Landlord of the guest houses that all her rooms were required for the King of Erebor and his company. Once the guard was sent off on his task, he then set off to the kitchen to monitor the food preparations.

"I do believe the heavens have blessed us this day, Thorin" Balin spoke quietly into the son of Thrain's ear. The dark haired dwarf nodded his head in agreement with a sad smile, staring into the fire before him. "Do not fret Thorin; mishaps happen in all relationships. It will build you closer together" Balin added, spotting the sadness.

"I feared so much that Thranduil had poisoned her against me, and now it seems my fears are now reality. She is not whom I remember, whom I fell in love with. That woman over there, with my child inside of her; that isn't Anya. I don't know who she is. I think we left her in Mirkwood, Balin. I will never forgive that Elven scum as long as I live" Thorin spat back in reply and blinked. A single tear trickled down Thorin's face as he thought on every good thing that was taken from him in his life time.


	32. Chapter 32

Thorin had let the whole event of being imprisoned in the elven realm of mirkwood. The more he thought upon it, the more he realised that he was aware of the dilemma between Fili and his child becoming heir. He was also aware that his nephew had regarded already the unborn child to be heir. Why was this affecting him so much now? When Anya had spoken that morning of their child taking over the throne it felt like daggers in his heart. Had he pushed that knowledge to the back of his mind in the home of Beorn for a reason? Did he want Fili to continue to be his heir? It was all so very confusing to him; as if he was given some sort of poison also to make him forget. He knew he had not been given such a thing. So it came down to the fact, that indeed, Thorin did not recognise his own child to be heir. Maybe that was a bad thing, Thorin pondered. But he thought on; half a year ago, he would not have thought him to be with a soon to be wife or child. He had not prepared his mind or self to react justly to such a thing. He had thought it not possible at this stage in his life to even have a family of his own. And so, he came to realize, that he did not forget what was said at beorns, what with him denying himself to be a good father to the heir or the toasts raised to Anya and the new 'heir' by several members of the company including Fili. Thorin had pushed that to that back of his mind, as if it was still something that could not happen. As if, at any moment both Anya and the child could be taken from him. If he regarded the child as their heir to the throne, then by some ghastly means it was taken from him like the rest of his family, it would break him. Thorin continued to think of these things as he gazed into the fire and he came to another conclusion why he thought he did not realize; it was pushed to the side, to the back of his mind because he did not want his child to be heir. Not just because of Fili, but because he did not want his own child to live a life such as he did. Fili was prepared for it; he was raised up and taught for it. His child knew nothing, for it was yet unborn, and he wanted to keep it that way. Perhaps it was not the right decision to prevent a direct descendent from Thorin to become heir. It would have been certainly wrong in the eyes of his father and grandfather. But Thorin had seen too much, had learnt to much to know that one must be fully prepared to take on the throne and his nephews was. Fili was strong, level headed (more so than Fili) and he had a rulers presence over him. Thorin wanted his child to experience the pleasure he had perhaps missed out. Did that make him selfish towards Fili now? Fili had this put on him at a young age. Perhaps he did not want the throne. Perhaps he wanted to experience life's joys too without having to worry about the throne. All of this screamed in his mind and he could bare it no longer. Standing to his feet; the sudden moment caused the company to jump, Thorin turned to them.

"Fili, Kili, Anya, Balin, I would speak with you all" he announced in an authoritative tone. Confused, but nevertheless obeying, the four stood to their feet and followed Thorin into a little side room that was thankfully empty, next to the kitchen. Closing the door and making his way to the far end of the room, Thorin sighed and leaned both of his hands against the wall, his back facing to the others. The four looked at each other in slight worry but remained silent. "Fili..." Thorin began with a weary voice and Anya suddenly knew why they were here. "... Do you feel as though you have been robbed of the luxuries of those out of royalty? What I mean is; have you longed to experience that which has been denied to you because of why had been placed on your shoulders?" Fili frowned at his uncle's unexpected question and took a step forward.

"I have never thought on it. I do not wish to now, if that is what you want to know. I am thankful for my upbringing, it has made me the dwarf I am today Thorin" Fili answered honestly.

"Kili, do you feel as though things have been denied to both you and your brother because of your heritage and expectations?" Thorin inquired and Kili also frowned.

"Not at all uncle. Please, tell us, what is this about?" Kili answered. Thorin turned around and locked eyes onto his nephew.

"Fili, when you headed that Anya was with child, what did you think?" Thorin spoke.

"I was pleased for you that you would have a child, an heir" Fili answered with an honest smile.

"Would you still take place as my heir, on knowing this, if asked?"

"What!?" both Fili and Anya gasped. Fili out of surprise and Anya out of Anger. Thorin sighed heavily and looked to Anya.

"I know it is in your best intentions to want the best for our child, for it to succeed in life, but my decision is in the best intentions for both our child and my nephews..." he spoke to Anya then turned to face Balin "... You are witness to this..." and then he faces his nephews with a soft but sad smile. "I am not getting younger, and will not sit upon the throne forever. I need someone physically and mentally ready. One who is prepared and knowledge's of the dangers in today's day and age, one who has not been sheltered from everything. All these thing make a good king and ruler, and all this is found in you. It would take gruelling years for my child to know what you know, and I do not wish it to suffer as I did when it was thrust upon me. It was given to you easy because I had your feeling in mind, because I thought at the time, that there was no choice for you, and so I wanted you to be brought up as heir in the best way possible..." Fili began to cry, but not out of sadness and Kili placed his arms around him in support. "... It would be unfair to place one on the throne until the other is ready, and I may not be around during that time of preparation. I do not want it to become unjust for you because of the way you have been brought up and taught, nor do I want my child to be to have everything taken from him in such a short time of his life, for it would start early. Fili, in front of these witnesses, and with the knowledge you have just received, will you remain my heir when my time is no more?" Anya glared at Thorin and Fili wiped his eyes, stepping toward his uncle, after quickly looking over at the woman behind him.

"If it is your will uncle, then I would gladly take it upon myself once more. I understand your plight. I was raised with experiencing both the world and the royal life. I had freedom in most respects, your child won't, and I myself, although I am not the father, would not want that taken from it as it was forced upon you. I will accept" Kili grinned as his brother spoke those words and Thorin closed his eyes in relief. He felt a sudden gush of emotions and worry and sickness inside for be thought of what Anya must be feeling. It seemed all too much at once and the room started to feel as though it was spinning at a great speed. Thorin began to sway and before anyone could say something, he fell to the floor harshly and led silently. All the anger had disappeared from her heart, all his confusions and hate and dislike, as she saw her love fall to the floor and fear for him filled her. Anya rushed to his side and fell to her knees, pulling back his hair from his face. Fili Kili and Balin watched Anya a moment in confusion. Not at the sudden act of affection, but her appearance. She looked different... She looked like her old self. It seemed that her true self, her true love for him was ignited when heart breaking worry courses throughout her veins when Thorin collapsed. As cheesy as it sounds, it was like a fairy-tale when true love defeats evil. The hold Thranduil had over her mind her actions, everything, it had dropped to the floor.

"What's wrong with him? Why are you just standing here?!" she shouted to them behind her. Snapping out of their revere, the three rushed to Thorin's side also. Balin gently lifted up his head in his arm and looked him over.

"Is uncle going to be ok?" Kili asked, his voice trembling. Fili felt fear course through his veins as he looked upon the body on the floor. What had happened, he thought to himself. One moment he was bestowing the rights to rule on him, the next he was on the floor. Anya wiped her tears away and Fili frowned at her.

"You care for him now do you?" he said none too softly and Anya gasped, looking at the blonde dwarf.

"Of course I do, what do you mean?"

"You haven't been exactly nice and approachable since we left mirkwood" Kiki answered instead whilst Balin checked Thorin's breathing.

"Left mirkwood?" Anya said with utter confusion and was suddenly aware of her surroundings. Where was she? She thought they were in the cell then he vaguely remembers being taken from it by guards... And then the elven king. The brothers noticed the genuine confusion in her face and kept silent.

"He is not responding, someone fetch Oin" Balin announced with a worried tone. Fili nodded and rushed to the door. Opening it, he looked wide eyed at the men sitting at the tables and searched for the healer.

"Oin, come here, we need your help" Fili exclaimed.

"Everything alright laddie?" Nori inquired with interest.

"Is something wrong?" Bombur said

"it's Thorin, he has fallen unconscious" Fili explained and Dwalin and Bilbo jumped to their feet in worry.

"Is he ill?" Bilbo questioned with panic.

"I do not know. He was speaking to us normally then in a blink of an eye he dropped to the floor. Please, Oin, come to him..." Fili moved back into the room and the healer dwarf followed. He knew not what he could do for the king. Had he, in his possession, the equipment to provide ointments and such then he would willingly help. But he had nothing. Everything was stripped from them in the dungeons of the elven king of mirkwood. They did not even have their weapons at their sides save for the hobbit, Bilbo. The journey had become a dreary experience, one which, if he had been aware of what would take place, Oin would have gladly passed with a simply no thank you. But, his loyalty to his king remained strong. He would continue what was ahead, for he too longed to see the halls of Erebor which he once roamed at a younger age with his brother Gloin. It had always been told to his nephew, Gimli and to Ori, Fili and Kili of course, the splendour and majesty of the mighty halls of the last dwarven realm. Entering the side room, the grey haired dwarf rushed to his king's side, and instantly placed a hand upon his head to check his temperature. He was warm to the touch, but nothing more than that. His pulse was normal as were the rest of his vitals that he was able to check without his equipment. Completely mind boggled as to why the king had collapsed, Oin sent young Kili to find the mayor of Lake Town and insist that the king skip his meal and be taken to a room where he could rest. What felt like ten minutes later, the mayor sent men to escort Dwalin and Gloin, who were carrying Thorin in their arms, to a room that was prepared for the king of Erebor? Gently, Thorin was placed on top of the bed, and Fili and Kili stayed with him (both agreeing that perhaps it was wise to keep Anya away from him for now). After telling the brothers that they would bring food to them, Dwalin and Gloin left the guest home and made their way back to the mayor's home.

"I am frightened for his health..." Kili suddenly whispered in the silence as he sat on the bed beside Thorin's head, looking down at his face. "... He has never done this before. What do you think caused it? He is not Ill; Oin said so."

"He has a lot on his shoulders, what with reclaiming our homeland, looking after us, worrying about Anya and they baby, and the decision he made to place me as heir would not have been an easy one to make... I don't think any of us realize exactly how much he does, not only as a king, but for his men and us... And mother. He was there every day since we were informed of father's death. He hasn't stopped since all those years gone" Fili answered and sighed, placing a hand upon his uncle's chest in comfort.

"Yes, he has done so much. You know, I loved our father, but I will always see Thorin as a father. Don't tell him that though. I don't want to seem... Oh I don't know. I just hope he will be ok" the Durin brothers gazed sadly at each other and in the safety of the room and found themselves falling asleep. Kili rested his head against Thorin's and Fili placed his on his uncle's chest.

0.0.0

The company and young master Baggins and Anya sat at the large table with the mayor at the top and all feasted on a spectacular meal. It was their intention to ear civilly in front of the lord of the town, but their hunger overtook them and they ate with haste. Balin kept Anya in his line of sight and had indeed noticed a great change in her from the moment Thorin had fallen to the floor. She was confused and disorientated. She was afraid to speak to the others in case she had upset them during the time of her 'anger' as Fili put it. She remembered nothing of how they got there or what happened in the weeks past. She was surprised to see her stomach bigger, and her appetite had grown immensely. Bilbo enjoyed the sweet taste of vegetables and roast meats and broths. After only surviving on stale bread in the elven realm along the with dwarves, this food was bliss in his mouth and his hobbit appetite kicked in. Bombur, who was large enough to start with, piled his plate up until it had a peak as if to fatten himself up even more. In each hand he had a leg of meat and his eyes were wide with happiness, perhaps greed.  
Nori spent some time eyeing silver ware but was occasionally kicked under the table by his eldest brother. Oin and Dwalin were in deep conversation with the mayor and the rest of the company chatted away without a care in the world.

0.0.0

Slowly his eyes opened, and little light shone in front of his eyes. He tried to move but felt heavy. Why was that? And why had he been asleep? He thoughts. His eyes focusing, Thorin realised that he led on a bed in a room and it took a few moments to remember that the company had come to the human settlement on the lake and were welcomed by the mayor with open arms. Had they gone to bed? No, they had not even eaten food; Thorin realised. Trying to sit up, the son of Thrain noticed a body lying across his torso and one right by his head. As he looked again, he noticed that his nephews led with him. "Kili..." he whispered to the dark haired prince right beside him. The youngest Durin stretched his arms and sighed before his eyes flickered open and stared straight into the eyes of his uncle.

"Your awake!" he squealed loudly, not caring about disturbing his brothers sleep. Fili shook awake at the sudden noise and shot up to a sitting position with his eyes wide open.

"What happened?" Thorin grumbled and pushed himself up to sit against the wall. "I was speaking with you both about heirs, that's all I remember"

"you collapsed uncle, we worried for you" Kili replied and Fili nodded in agreement with his brothers statement.

"How strange." was all that Thorin said and he looked to his eldest nephew with soft eyes. "Is Anya well?"

"She is different, that is sure" Fili commented and the son of Thrain raised his eyebrows quizzically but remained silent, wishing for his nephews to continue speaking. "She, she seems like her old self. She has no idea how she got here, no idea at all that we even left Mirkwood. The last thing she was aware of was being with you in the cell" such a sense of relief washed over the king of Erebor at the knowledge that his love had come back. It seemed that the Elven king's power was not that strong to keep Anya in his grasp. Closing his eyes, Thorin let out a little chuckle and exhaled loudly.

"I am feeling a great deal better" Thorin stated, opening his eyes again, looking between his nephews with a great smile. "It must have been exhaustion and worry that took over my body. I do not think there is anything to worry about. Come, help me up off this bed and let us go back to our men." Fili and Kili grinned and helped Thorin from the bed quickly. Minutes later the three Durin's left the guest home, thanking the owner and quickly made their way toward the Mayor's home; the sweet smell of freshly cooked meats and the sounds of rowdy laughter pulling them closer like a magnet. Walking into the homely place, the company fell silent on the sight of the Line of Durin's in the doorway and held their breath. Even the Mayor kept quiet.

"Are you well Thorin?" Bilbo broke the silence and Thorin smiled gracefully at the Halfling and nodded his head.

"I am well." He replied. The Mayor then spoke, inviting the dwarves to join the company. Thorin took an esteemed seat next to the Mayor himself and were served food like the kings they were. Thorin savoured every flavour that entered his mouth and felt every worry, every burden of the journey just wash away. After eating a decent amount, the leader of the company looked around the table, and his eyes came to rest upon Anya. His nephews were right. She was different in appearance. She looked like her old self. That angered and frightened aura about her was no more. Anya felt eyes upon her and looked up to find her love gazing back longingly. She smiled, unsure of what to do or say. In response, the dark haired dwarf cocks his head to the side, silently asking her to come to him. Rising from her seat, complying, Anya made her way over to him and both excused themselves from the others, walking once more into the empty room, closing the door behind them. As soon as they were hidden from sight, Anya jumped onto the king, wrapping her arms around his neck, holding on tight.

"Im sorry, im so sorry for anything I have said and done. I didn't know, I am sorry. I love you" She said quickly and Thorin felt his hair dampen and realised that she was weeping.

"There is nothing to apologise for. You were under Thranduil's control."

"Balin told me everything, and he told me what was said before you collapsed. I understand. I cannot believe I was so selfish. I knew our child was an heir to the throne, but I understand your choice and I respect it and will honour it."

"That is good to hear my love. I have never been so torn in a decision, as difficult as it was"

"I will support you in every decision Thorin" She whispered against his ear and Thorin held onto Anya tightly, savouring the moment as if it would disappear in a flash.

"I have missed you Anya, so very much" He said lusciously and Anya pulled away and looked into the dwarfs eyes.

"I love you so much" She replied and gently but lovingly placed her lips upon his. Thorin sighed in happiness at the missed contact and revelled in the moment, never wanting to break it.

0.0.0.

The Mayor of Lake town finished the evening with a toast of merriment and thanked the dwarves for making the meal a most enjoyable one. The dwarves and Master Bilbo thanked the man in return and followed the guards from the home towards the guest home where they eagerly looked forward to a comfortable, warm, safe rest. Thorin walked hand in hand towards their shared room and looked forward to a long needed night together.


	33. Chapter 33

As the dwarves led asleep in the safe and homely guest houses, visitors came in the night. A party of elves from mirkwood descended upon a human inhabitant with eyes and ears ready for business with the mayor of Lake Town, as was their custom fortnightly. One of the members of the part however was there for another reason alone, in secret. It was not told to her comrades as to why she had come along, nor would it be revealed in the coming hours. The mayor of Lake Town had woken up groggily that evening for having guests so late at night. He would gladly turn them away were it not for their status as the elven kings soldiers. Pulling on his dressing gown and slipping on his slippers, the human slowly descended the stair case of his home and found himself looking upon a larger amount of elves than was usual. And, for the first time, it seemed, there was a female among them. "You have come a lot later than your usual time" the mayor stated, a little agitated. "the whole town is asleep"

"we were held up on account of an Orc pack surveying the outskirts of your land and the border of mirkwood; you should thank us for your safety rather than get annoyed at our lack of time keeping this day, human." one elf spoke aloud, frowning at the mayor. He had dark hair and a hard expression; the mayor surveyed, and decided in that moment not to cross him again, lest he be subject to their elven magic or sorts.

"One of our guest homes is full, and two rooms from the other are taken, but there should be plenty of room for you all. Henris shall take care of that..." the mayor replied, indicating to a tall, blonde man who stood by the door. The elves nodded in thanks and were led away by Henris with a lamp in hand, towards the guest homes.

0.0.0.

Kili could not sleep. He tossed and turned for hours on end. It was strange. He would have thought that a soft and warm bed like this would have sent him straight off to sleep. But no, he stared at the ceiling and sighed. Fili lay beside him in a deep sleep, and Balin and Dwalin could be heard snoring in the room beside theirs. Perhaps he felt unprotected. After all his uncle was in the next home with practically all of the company. Only he and his brother and of course Dwalin and Balin resided in this one. Kili had not heard the entry of the elves, neither did he hear them being guided to a room for their stay. Oblivious to such action happening outside, the young dwarf decided to get a drink. If he could not sleep, then it was pointless lying awake; he may as well be productive. Slipping on his trousers and shirt, neglecting his shoes, Kili walked to the door and opened it, looking up and down the corridor, quite forgetting which way was down and which way was up. Thankful that a candle bad been lit at either end, the young Durin was able to spot the staircase going down. Quietly closing his door so as not to wake his brother, Kili tip toed down the staircase and carefully and silently as he could, into the kitchen/ seating area. Striding over to an indoor type well, Kili picked up a tankard and lowered it down. Scooping up some water. With his full tankard in hand the young durin walked into the seating area, unaware of a person already present there. Plonking himself down on a chair, and taking a sip of his was, Kili looked around until finally his eyes rested upon a dark, hooded figure facing him. Feeling suddenly unnerved, the young prince was about to leave the room in haste. "I know you" the voice stated before he could stand up from his chair. Kili froze at the voice. Slowly the figure moved forward towards the light that was supplied by the candles. Raising up their arms and pulling down the hood, Kili gasped and was faced with wide, surprised eyes. "Hello master dwarf. I thought we would never cross paths again"

"it is good to see you once more, though I am conscious as to whether I need be weary of you or not, for we did escape your masters dungeons..." Kili answered, Gazing at the female.

"I do not come as a threat to you, master dwarf" Tauriel spoke with a warm smile and came to kneel in front of Kili. The young dwarf felt a blush arise and shuffled back into his seat. "Do you fare well? I gathered that you as your men escaped via the barrels. I must commend you on your fast thinking, though I would probably get scolded for saying such a thing to you if heard" Tauriel smiled and her red haired flowed over her shoulders, framing her face perfectly. Kili smiled and looked into her eyes

"why are you here?" he Inquired softly.

"I have been sent by my king to search for that mortal woman who was in your company. I know not why he has such a strong obsession over her. Never in all my years have I seen him so. Even Legolas, his son is confused by his, shall we say 'lack of sanity' in regards to her."

"He poisoned Anya against us all, especially Thorin. It seems she has snapped back into reality now, no thanks to him" Kili said with an angered tone and remained silent for a few moments, before adding. "You have been good to us all... Would you really take her from us now by force and take her back to him?" Tauriel sighed and leant back onto her heels, looking around the room for a moment.

"I shall... Inform my king that the search was unsuccessful. But you must all remain inside these homes until my party of elves have left. If they catch sight of you, then that is it" the red haired elf answered simply. Kili grinned in thanks.

" You must make sure that the mayor does not tell your party of our presence then. If we cannot leave to inform him, then you must" Kili spoke and watched as Tauriel nodded in agreement.

"you are not like most dwarves, Aeir"

"what did you call me?" asked the nephew of the king, curiously. Tauriel chuckled quietly and placed a gentle hand on his knee.

"Short one." she stated and Kili blushed once more and cleared his throat.

"I had never come across your race before this journey. Because of the hatred between our people, we were kept from you. Hearing your language, it, for some reason delights me. Will you say something else?" Tauriel nodded and thought a moment about what she could say, then replied

"oio naa elealla alasse', Lirimaer"

"and what does that mean?" Kili asked enthusiastically.

"It means 'ever is thy sight a joy, lovely one'" she said, and gazed into the dwarves soft brown ones.

"That- that was nice of you to say" Kili commented, a little embarrassed. Tauriel grinned and Rose to her feet.

"I shall bid you a good night... Kili. It has been a pleasure speaking with you once more." and with that, Tauriel turned on the spot and made for the door, by before she left the room, Kili jumped to his feet. Rushing over to her, his frets pattering on the floor, he reached out and gently took hold of her wrist, looking up at her.

"Are you staying with your party long?"

"For a few days, as is custom when dealing with the kings business" Tauriel replied softy.

"Will you- will you visit whilst we are hidden here? I would much like to see you before you leave, for I may never look upon your face again" Kili asked, his cheeks turning beetroot red. Tauriel placed a hand on kili's cheek and nodded.

"I will" she said and as quick as a flash, she left the room and ascended the staircase. The young Durin prince grinned like a child and sat back down, taking another sip of his water.

0.0.0

"I was thinking Thorin..." Anya whispered against the dwarf king's bare chest as the rays of the golden sun burst into the room through the window, drenching the room in light. Thorin smiled and ran his battle-worn hand over Anya's exposed back, staring up at the ceiling.

"Please, tell me what has been plaguing your thoughts" Thorin spoke back, less of a whisper.

"Do you not want our child ruling as king and heir because it is a half breed? Is there something in your laws against that?" Anya asked, her fingers dancing on the son of Thrain's chest. Thorin chuckled a little.

"There is no such law in our race. Did I not tell you when we first met that my brother, Freris has courted a human for some time with the intention of marriage? The city of Dale that surrounded Erebor, was a human settlement. Well, it began that way. When my grandfather's father thought that doing business with the humans to gain friendships between our races, many of the young dwarves took to living among them. It was not uncommon to see a young dwarf lad on the arm of a female human. It would not do us well as rulers to put such a law across that a child of dwarven and human blood was a bastard child. If it was a frowned upon thing among my people, would I have as openly as I did, announce to my men that you were with child? You need not worry about that"

"glad to hear it. I was concerned. To be honest, I'm quite happy to lead a normal life. But one more thing did confuse me. Fili said to me that you had mentioned that you won't rule forever... Are you not planning on remaining as king for long?" Thorin hummed.

"I intend to take the throne Anya, but only until a certain age, until I feel ready to step down as it were. Don't worry, it won't be anytime soon, although Fili is educated in many aspects of ruling, he still had much to learn, and I shall build him up." explained Thorin and the blonde woman nodded in understanding.

"I wonder if our child will live long like the dwarves instead of our life expectancy. It does make me sad to think though, that if it does, I won't get to see it at an older age."

"Do not think of such solemn things Anya. Live in the now. Next week you will be five and a half months pregnant. That is something to think on, not future deaths." Thorin stated using his spare hand to take hold of the woman's chin and lift it up so he could look into her eyes. Anya smiled warmly and shuffled up the bed until she came face to face with the dwarf king. Taking his face in her hands she placed her lips upon his own and kissed him lovingly. Thorin wrapped his arms around her and held her close.

0.0.0

"Where did you go last night? I woke up to find you missing" Fili grumbled as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes. The youngest durin smiled from the side of the bed on which he sat, pulling on his boots.

"I was thirsty..." Kili replied with the shrug of his shoulders.

"Why do you have such a large grin upon your face?" asked the blonde dwarf, looking his little brother up and down rather curiously. Kili chuckled at Fili's puzzled expression and merely shrugged his shoulders once again, not wanting his brother in on his little secret as of yet. "Well, if you're not going to tell me then there is little point in me asking. When you were fast asleep this morning because of your late night escapades, Balin knocked on the door. For some odd reason, the Mayor of the town has asked that, for the next few days, we remain within the comforts of these homes. He is also moving us into the other home with the company. We'll all be packed closed together. He sent one of his guards to tell Balin and Thorin a few hours ago." Kili tried to appear as though he did not know what his brother was talking about, but it was because of Kili and Tauriel speaking the previous night, that these decisions were made.

"Oh well, at least we are separated from the company" Kili remarked and happily stood to his feet.

"It does not bother you that we are suddenly being confined to one home?" spoke Fili, also stepping onto the floor, pulling on his trousers.

"As long as we have a warm bed to sleep in and hot food inside of us, I could not care less" Fili grinned at his brother's response and tied up the laces of his trousers before eagerly pulling on his boots.

"Balin and Dwalin are waiting for us downstairs with the guards. Apparently we need escorting to the home next to this one. You'd swear we were being kept hidden from someone" said Fili, walking over to the door, turning the handle and opened it for his brother to step out first. Kili thanked him and merrily walked down the stairs with his brother in tow.

Eventually the four dwarves were led to the second home where the rest of the company resided and were instructed to stay indoors and if they were in need of anything, it would be brought without a second thought. Meals were promised to be delivered, as was a healthy helping of ales and non-alcoholic beverages. Thorin had become somewhat displeased. They had escaped one dungeon and now found themselves kept inside yet another building without leave for the next few days. Of course Anya had tried to reassure him that they were not captives, but guests, but the king under the mountain would have none of it, and so sat in a corner in the seating area, brooding greatly as he gazed into the open fire. The others had taken to merry making after such a blissful and safe sleep. They had not felt this refreshed and well fed since their time at Beorn's.

Bofur had inquired of the guards as to where he may get a log of wood and knife. They saw to it that it was given to the toy maker free of charge and so the brother of Bombur began calving away at the wood, intending on making something for the child of Thorin that was on its way. Nori longingly gazed at the finery in the home and once again found himself being shoed away and tutted at by his elder brother. His youngest brother, Ori, however, sat at the large table, chin in hand, thinking of his book that was sorely missed after it was taken from him in the elven kingdom of mirkwood. Master Baggins sat with the brothers Oin and Gloin and listened intensively to stories of their people and occasionally found himself smiling as Gloin often spoke fondly of his young son Gimli.

Surprisingly to them all, evening came around quite quickly. The sky began to darken and candles were starting to get lit. As the chattering seemed to die down a little, and all sat comfortable, enjoying the safety around them, a sudden knock came at the door. After everyone had shared a curious glance at one another, Bilbo rose to his feet and offered to answer the door. Leaving the seating area, Bilbo walked a little way until he came to a large wooden door. Just able to reach the doorknob, the hobbit twisted it and pulled the door towards him. On seeing the person who stood before him, Bilbo swallowed hard. "May I enter?" She said and Bilbo nodded silently, stepping to the side. "You are quite quiet for a Halfling; I have heard many a story of Hobbits' fondness of conversation."

"I am surprised is all" Bilbo replied and paused a moment in thought of what to do or say next. Unable to come to a conclusion, Bilbo said "… Follow me…" and so Tauriel followed the master hobbit toward the seating room which the dwarves resided. Once by the door, Bilbo walked nervously into the room and the company was aware of this.

"Who was it Bilbo?" Dwalin asked and Bilbo stepped away from the door and Tauriel turned the corner and stepped into the room. Instantly the company hissed and jumped to the feet. Tauriel raised her hands in surrender and Thorin and many of the older dwarfs found the sight most strange. Never had an elf surrendered to a dwarf.

"I do not come as a threat, but as a promise…" Tauriel spoke, and looked only to Kili. Many noticed the exchange and were slightly dumbfounded. "I trust you have been seen to, to your heart's desire. I was adamant that you be treated well"

"You arranged for us to stay here? Why?" Thorin snarled, distrustful.

"I came here with a party of elves on business. Last night we shared the accommodation in which your nephews resided. If my party were to look upon your kind, knowing that a company of dwarves had escaped the king's dungeons, they would be sure to take you away. I made sure of it that not one of my men would look upon you"

"You would help us?" Balin asked confused.

"I only work for the king; I do not share in the hatred that resides between you both. I must admit, I was sent here personally by the king to acquire what was taken from him…" Tauriel pointed to Anya and Thorin protectively placed his arm across her as did several of the other men "… But as I said to Kili last night, I shall report to my king that I unfortunately, did not come across She, nor did my eyes rest upon the sight of dwarves…" Thorin looked slightly relieved and thankful and then looked back to his youngest nephew at the knowledge of the she elf spending time with him last night. "You need not fear, dwarf king; I merely come as a balm… a friend."

"You… thank you…" Anya stuttered out and Tauriel smiled and inclined her head slightly. Thorin swallowed his pride and hatred for her race and nodded in agreement with what his fiancé had said.

"You seem to have made a friend with one member of the company already…" Thorin stated in reference to his nephew and took a step forward. "… You are an exception. I have never met one such as yourself. You have a humbleness inside of you that I have never come across in an Elf. I seems strange for me not to hate you when I so despise the master and his kin whom you serve."

"It is not out of choice, dwarf king, that I serve Thranduil. I caught his eye before I was of age, and it was requested that I join his side in service. If it were up to me, I would gladly leave his side without shame. Elves are loyal beings, much like yourself, though I think you would agree with me, that unhappiness in the face of loyalty brings an unhappy life. I shall forever serve him, until he releases me from his service, in utter bitterness. His son, Legolas, is the only one who keeps my spirits up."

"You may stay with us this eve if you so desire…" Thorin spoke humbled by her words.

"I would be most grateful of jolly company, dwarf king…" Tauriel replied, smiling at Kili whom grinned in the background.


	34. Chapter 34

Tauriel immediately made her way over to the young dwarf after Thorin's permission of joining their merry gathering. It was indeed a historic moment for the company; an elf had been accepted among them. Not just any elf, but a servant of the one elf that betrayed the entire dwarven race. He was still curious; that was to be expected. This elf, apart from the Lord of Rivendell, Elrond, has shown particular kindness to him that was genuine yet felt foreign. The son of Thrain watched as his youngest nephew laughed and conversed with the female with a look in his eyes. He was oh so familiar with that look and felt his insides twist and turn at the knowledge that his nephew was in love with an elf. If it were any other elf, Thorin supposed he would have banned the relationship from becoming anymore 'intimate', should we say. But this elf, this Tauriel, there was something different with her, something trust worthy about her presence and her words. Her eyes showed something too. They sparkled with love and loyalty. Not just for her king, but for their race too. She had no grudge against their race, and that surprised him to say the least.

Looking away, allowing young Kili some 'privacy', Thorin turned to his old friend Dwalin and his elder nephew, his heir. Anya had stood to her feet and left the social area toward the kitchen, searching for a drink, placing her hand upon her stomach. This action did not go unnoticed by one and the white haired dwarf followed the human woman into the kitchen. Anya held onto the side of a wooden counter and closed her eyes, taking in deep breaths. Balin entered the room silently and his brow furrowed as he looked over the queen to be. "My dear, are you well?" he inquired, causing Anya to jump at the sudden intrusion of sound. Shaking her head, keeping her eyes closed, she displayed her discomfort by the expression on her face. "What is it?"

"I…" Anya breathed heavily, taking in a deep breath before she continued "I have a pain… like a stabbing…" she explained and Balin's eyes widened. "Please don't tell Thorin, he has enough to worry about."

"My dear, you should let someone take a look at you. Pain's during pregnancy can be something of nothing, but they can also be cause for concern, especially in your fifth month…" commented Balin son of Fundin. Anya shook her head, informing the dwarf know that she did not want Thorin to know nor the others; for they would most likely feel compelled to inform their king of the situation. "Im afraid, in this situation, I cannot so as you ask, Lass"

"Like you said it's something of nothing" Anya breathed out, opening her eyes to look at the usually jolly male.

"I said could be Anya. It could also be something else. If you do not mention anything to Thorin now, I will have no choice but to do so myself. Will you comply?" Anya bit her tongue and looked away. She was about to make her way over to the sink when she gasped aloud and doubled over. Balin, split between the decision of going to her aid and going to get Thorin, stood for a moment. Thinking the latter was the best idea in this circumstance, the old dwarf left the room in haste. Not a moment later Oin, Thorin, Fili, Kili and Tauriel exited the room, leaving the others patiently waiting in the social room. Thorin stood in the doorway a moment, looking over at his love who was now on her knees, eyes closed, clutching her stomach. Oin pushed past the concerned king and went straight to the aid of the young woman.

"Anya what do you feel?" Oin asked, brow furrowing as he listened intensively for her reply; the lack of hearing aid proving to be somewhat frustrating.

"I have a … sharp… pain… in my stomach" She gasped out and quite unexpectedly vomited on the floor in front of her. Tauriel watched the scene unfold and rushed over to the woman, receiving puzzled glances. Moving Oin out of the way, Tauriel led Anya onto her back and gently placed her hands on the woman's stomach. Closing her eyes, and using her keen senses, she tried to pin point the growing child. She was no healer or anything of the sort, but it was said among the elven race that a she elf could sense a child within the womb if it were distressed in some way or… the worst outcome. Moving her hands ever so slowly, she felt a faint heart beat and slight movement. The baby was alive; she gathered in her thoughts and tried to feel, to hear even if the child was in distress or if it was Anya.

"What is it? Is all well with them both?" Fili asked, trying to look beyond Tauriel at the woman on the floor. Taureil found something.

"The child is in distress…" She calmly stated and Anya's eyes widened.

"What? How? Why?" She said all at once in a panic and Tauriel placed a gentle hand on her forehead and calmed her down.

"You have been through a great deal, you all have. Situations have taken a toll on your body, and I don't expect that poison did much good. I have known a few women of my race, whose husbands were at war, gave birth to their babies prematurely… a few months early if you will, because of high levels of stress. Not only that, but your small for… much smaller than the usual form of a human has not experienced a dwarven child growing inside them. We don't know how your body is taking the growth" Tauriel answered, then glanced over her shoulders to the king, with a sympathetic look. Thorin made his way over to his love and came to kneel beside the female elf.

"Are you saying that Anya is in premature labour?" He asked gravely.

"A possibility, yes. But then again, it could be pain from stress or the growth of a dwarven child inside her. One cannot know just yet" Said Tauriel quietly.

"Would the baby survive if it was born now?" Anya inquired solemnly looking between the two above her.

"It's not impossible; it all depends on how much the child has grown already. Some grow at faster paces than others" Oin entered the conversation. Thorin nodded, taking in the information given and swallowed hard. As he did, Anya let out another gasp of pain and clutched her stomach once more.

"Breath…" Thorin said soothingly, gently stroking his loves head in comfort. "I won't let anything happen, to either of you"

"I don't want to lose the baby" Anya whispered, tears forming in her eyes. Fili looked to his brother, Oin and Balin and suggested that they leave Thorin and Anya alone with Tauriel a moment and exited the room to give them privacy.

"I can help to make her comfortable and possibly relieve the stress if that would help. I can do nothing more, although I would like to" Tauriel offered to the dwarf king. Thorin listened to her words and slowly nodded his head in thanks. "Can you lead her to bed?" She asked and Thorin stood to his feet, gently pulling Anya up with him, guiding her slowly by the hand as they walked from the room. Tauriel followed silently and watched the two in front of her. She had never seen a dwarf with such love in his eyes for a human woman in all her years; it was a very touching sight.

"Please be ok… please" Anya whispered with her eyes closed as a tear trickled down her damp cheek.


	35. Chapter 35

Anya blinked up at the ceiling of her room with the feeling of everything around her falling into a chasm of pain and fear. The son of Thrain came to sit beside her on the bed and watched her with worry and concern with tears threatening to fall from his eyes. Was nothing to last in his life? Had he offended the heavens so that everything was to be taken from him to allow him no happiness? Was fighting for his kin not enough that he should fight for his wife-to-be and unborn child? In that split moment he wished to just give up, to call an end to the quest and return home; but then it came to mind that all that was endured would have been in vain. Placing a battle worn hand on his loves head, brushing away a few strands of hair, he paused a moment. "Do you regret staying here; not taking that elves offer to return to your homeland?" He asked with a slight whisper to his voice. Anya pulled her eyes from the ceiling to the male beside her, holding her stomach, and blinked a few tears down her cheeks.

"Perhaps… but I do not regret being with you, or loving you. I regret having to endure this, but that is selfish of me. Your men have offered their lives to you in service; as your fiancé, so should I, be as committed to you, to this quest… but I feel so drained, so pessimistic. Is this ever going to end? Are we ever going to settle, away from danger and fear to be a 'normal' family… whatever normal is?" She replied with honesty.

"It will end, I have confidence in it. And when all is returned to its natural state, when we have a home… I promise you… I swear to you, I will make it so that no regret forms in your heart again." Thorin vowed with seriousness etched in his voice. Anya sniffled and nodded with a painful smile. Placing a comforting hand on her stomach, Thorin moved a little closer and kissed her slightly damp brow.

"Thank you Th- Ahh…." Anya gasped, shooting up to a sitting position, grabbing her strangely swollen stomach for a 5 month pregnancy.

"What? What is it" Thorin asked in a hurry; all of his hard shells and barriers breaking at the sight of his love in pain. Anya squeezed her eyes shut tightly and with a death grip, held onto the dark haired male's hand. "The pain is back?" still, she made no reply, but moved on the bet a little. As she did, she felt a little dampness between her legs. Snapping open her eyes, looking down at the bed, she watched as a trickle of water made its way down the silk covers.

"My- my…" She stuttered in a panic and Thorin's attention followed her own and he came to focus on where her eyes so fearfully stared. Jumping to his feet, letting go of Anya's hand, knowing what this meant, he quickly left the room and bounded down the stairs. The company sat in the social room taking with one another and got to know the young she elf when the wooden door banged open with some force, and a frightened king appeared in the doorway. Never had the company seen him with such emotion as now as he stood before them. Urgently he looked for the elf woman and his healer. Spotting them near the fire place he sighed.

"I need you" He announced breathlessly.

"What is it, what's wrong?" Kili inquired of his uncle.

"It's coming" Was all that the son of Thrain said and turned on the spot, rushing back up the stairs.

"What's coming?" Dori asked in confusion and Bofur and Nori shrugged their shoulders in confusion."

"The child…" Balin said gravely, watching as Oin and Tauriel left the room in haste.

"But is has not been six months yet, let alone 9!" Exclaimed young Ori. Balin glanced over at the writer and nodded his head sadly and silence fell upon the company with realisation that there might be a problem upstairs that would not only affect the king, but Anya also.

.0

"No, no, no, no, no" Anya kept muttering under her breath and she desperately clung to her dwarven love. Thorin was wide eyed with horror as he watched the scene play out before him. Oin held on to Anya's wrist to monitor her heart rate as Tauriel pushed up the human woman's dress slightly, parting her legs. She looked with deep concentration, and Thorin could only assume that she was checking/ waiting for signs that the child was about to make an appearance. Thorin was aware that some labours took hours, some minuets, some days even, and so, as each minuet ticked by he was on the edge, thoughts going around his mind. 'Was it going to come now?' 'Would she be in labour for hours yet?' '… Would the child be alive?' A sudden cry of pain ripped him from his thoughts as Anya snapped her head back, shouting.

The heart wrenching cry of agony made its way down to the company and all froze in their spots, swallowing hard. "Are they attacking her?" Ori asked, sounding concerned. Dwalin allowed a small curl of his lips appear at the young ones statement and shook his head.

"You have never been present at a lass giving birth?" He questioned and Ori shook his head. "… tis a painful experience lad. No one is hurting her…" Ori's mouth formed an 'o' as he took the information, but jumped nevertheless as another yell sounded.

"Keep breathing lass, that's all you can do…" Oin tried to soothe the woman as beads of sweat formed upon her brow as she tensed and relaxed from the pain. "It won't last forever, breathing helps…"

"I can't do this…" Anya whimpered and shook her head, not wanting to believe what was happening. Tauriel placed her hands gently on the woman's knees and smiled warmly.

"You are a strong woman, Anya… stronger than many I have come across in you race. You can do this. I can help soothe you, if you wish…" Tauriel announced and Anya nodded enthusiastically. Thorin watched as the she elf closed her eyes and began to mutter under her breath. In an instant Anya was filled with calm. The pain remained, but the panic attack that was threatening to make an appearance slowly faded into complete absence.

"Tis good of you to aid us" Thorin suddenly commented, and Oin looked up in shock as his master address the elf with no hint of malice or hatred in his voice.

"It is my pleasure, master dwarf…" Tauriel replied after she had opened her eyes.

"It's been about an hour… don't they just pop the baby out and that's it?" Kili spoke up, breaking the suddenly accumulated awkward silence. Fili looked to his brother with an expression that clearly stated, 'are you a complete idiot?' Kili registered this and slunk back into his seat, feeling heat rise in his cheeks.

"Your grandmother, when she was pregnant with your uncle, was in labour for three days; Thorin decided to make a rather noisy appearance into the world" Balin spoke with a smile on his face at the fond memory as he sat by the fire. Kili grinned at such knowledge, trying to visualize Thorin as a crying baby.

"Childbirth is an amazing, but scary thing…." Dori mused and several hums sounded in agreement.

"How do you think she is doing?" Nori suddenly asked with a serious tone, dampening the mood.

"We can but hope and pray all is well" Bofur spoke up.

"Aii, it was a scary business when my wife brought Gimli into the world. I never wanted to see her like that again as long as I live. I can but empathise with Thorin too." Gloin commented.

"Im yet to experience it" Bombur replied, biting into an apple.

"Really, you eat at a time like this?" Fili exclaimed, angered, and threw a woven cushion at him, hitting the fruit from his hand.

"Just because I eat, it doesn't mean I don't care" Bombur mumbled and stared at his food on the floor with sadness.

0.0.0

"I see something! My dear, you must give it all you have… push!" Tauriel exclaimed just over two hours later. Anya's face turned bright read and she held her breath for a moment then let it out it a large cry of pain, digging her nails into Thorin's skin, drawing a little blood. He cared not; his sole attention was happening.

0.0.0

"I do not like this…" Ori muttered after a scream was heard and Balin tapped his shoulder with a sympathetic smile.

"Do not fret, it will be-" Balin was about to reply, when the she elf came into the room in a flash. Kili looked up at the woman with surprise in his eyes.

"It's done…" She said, with no hint of emotion.

"The baby; is it ok? Is it alive?" Fili asked and all looked to the Mirkwood elf for an answer and she opened her mouth to reply.

… sorry guys, I couldn't help it


	36. Chapter 36

"I do not like this…" Ori muttered after a scream was heard and Balin tapped his shoulder with a sympathetic smile.

"Do not fret, it will be-" Balin was about to reply, when the she elf came into the room in a flash. Kili looked up at the woman with surprise in his eyes.

"It's done…" She said, with no hint of emotion.

"The baby; is it ok? Is it alive?" Fili asked and all looked to the Mirkwood elf for an answer and she opened her mouth to reply.

..0..0..0..0

"The child is perfectly formed considering it is only 5 months old. The growth spurt of your kin must have benefited the child greatly…." Tauriel began, looking to the nephews of the king whom looked at her with happiness and worry if that were possible.

"But is it alive?" Balin inquired, taking a step forward toward the she elf. The red haired female glanced at the elder male and a soft smile entertained her face, though Balin could tell it as somewhat pained.

"It is. The child is healthy and lively too, as if it were born at the normal length of time." She replied, but still, she did not sound enthusiastic about the birth of a child and this unsettled each and every soul in the room.

"Something is wrong, isn't it?" Master Baggins inquired, stepping out from behind Gloin to make himself known.

"Anya is weak. Her body, it would seem, struggled with the early birth and the size of the half dwarven child." Said Tauriel solemnly.

"She's dying?" Ori gasped in question and the elf shook her head in answer.

"No, she is not dying, but she is not well. She will heal over time." the dwarves muttered among themselves about this, clearly worried about the woman that was to be queen of their eventual reclaimed homeland. It was not until the room fell quite once more with concern, did Dori speak up.

"What… what is it?" Tauriel, understanding his question then displayed a genuine happy smile.

"Anya has given birth to a son." A low sounding cheer broke out and Fili and Kili beamed at one another in happiness for both Anya and their uncle. Finally, Thorin was granted happiness. A sudden wail sounded in the home and all listened at the blessed sound that was a new born baby's cry. Many of the men chuckled with happiness, feeling lighter that something this special had happened on this wearying quest. Tauriel then went on to tell the dwarves, judging by the child's size that it was not early at all. That because it was part dwarven the growth rate was far quicker than that of a human child, hence bringing the birth much sooner than a human birth. As this was stated, Oin whom had come down to join the others to give Anya and Thorin privacy, had recalled several cased in his younger days as a practicing healer of half human half dwarf births being sooner than human births. He kicked himself silently for forgetting such a thing when Anya was in Labour. Much worry could have been removed with such information. After informing them that a name was not yet given, Tauriel apologised to them for having to leave for a meeting with her kind with the mayor of Lake Town and vowed to return before she was required to return to Mirkwood. Casting Kili a loving smile, the red head exited the home and left the company sitting around, not knowing what to do next.

"He looks like my brother…" Thorin whispered as he gazed into the beautiful bright blue eyes staring back at him. Anya smiled; her eyes heavy with tiredness as she listened to her love. She sat up, leaning against the head board, her head resting on his shoulder, glancing down at the perfectly formed baby in his arms. She reached forward and stroked the babies hand with a finger and the small bundle closed his tiny fingers around it. With her thumb, she gently stroked the back of his tiny hand.

"I was not expecting him to be so big for five months…" She spoke, her voice coarse from all the shouting and crying out in pain. She wanted to slap all those women who claimed it to be just a breeze and it 'will be over before you know it'. It was the most painful thing she had experience in her life, and at this moment, did not want to experience again.

"This is the happiest moment of my life…" Thorin spot turning his head to place a kiss upon his loves head. Anya smiled, her eyes still focused on the baby whose eyes were now closed; his chest rising and falling gently. "What shall we call him?" He asked softly.

"Why don't you name him after your brother?" Anya offered, pulling away from the son of Thrain's shoulder to glance up at him. Thorin hummed and stared back at his son. Perhaps he could do that; but his son would then be a constant reminder of his brother and he was not sure if he could cope with that. Thinking about the similarities between his name and his father and grandfather Thorin thought perhaps he should stick to tradition. "Thorin?"

"How about 'Thariis?" He asked softly with a smile as he looked over the tiny form in his hands. It had been many a year since he had held a babe, and knowing this one was his own, the moment was perfect. Anya allowed the name to roll around in her mind and on her tongue for several moments.

"Thariis son of Thorin; It's quite catchy…" Anya said with a smile, looking back up to the dark haired male.

"Is that a yes?" Thorin inquired, his heart fluttering inside his chest; a feeling he had never felt before, and it made him feel… strange.

"Yes" Anya confirmed with a tired grin. Thorin let out a breath he did not know he had been holding, and a sparkle shone in his blue eyes with pure happiness; more than Anya had seen in him for the whole time she had known him. As he blinked, caring not that his emotions was on display for all to see, a gleaming tear trickled down his cheek. Looking back to the small bundle, Thorin picked it up with both hands; one supporting the head and one the body, and placed a kiss on the baby's head. The baby woke from his slumber and opened its mouth. Anya thought he was about to cry and gasped, but instead Thariis placed his tiny mouth over Thorin's nose, his little fingers flexing in the air as he stretched a little. The son of Thrain chuckled as the small wet mouth enclosed over his nose and massive blue eyes looked up at him. "I think he likes you" Anya spoke softly, reaching out to touch the baby's fingers. Thariis let go of the nose and began to wail, his eyes closed tightly. "He must be hungry…" She said and held out her arms for her son. Thorin looked sceptically at the woman he loved for a moment.

"Are you strong enough to feed him?" He inquired seriously. Anya smiled and put out her arms towards the dwarf once more, indicating she wanted her son. Thorin complied and gently handed over the small bundle of new life.

"I have to be. How else can we feed him?" She said with a coarse voice and with a free hand she pulled down her dress at the front, exposing her skin. Positioning the crying baby ready to feed, Anya let out a loud sigh. Little Thariis latched on hungrily and took his time to feed himself. Thorin watched with such love in his eyes as he looked upon a sight he thought he never would in his life time.

"What are we supposed to do down here? Should we go and say hello?" Kili asked the others, fidgeting on his seat as he kept looking over to the door.

"Give them time, Young Kili. It is new for them both; they need to get acquainted with their son" Balin spoke.

"I bet Thorin is pleased to have an heir of his own" Gloin spoke up and Balin, Fili and Kili looked across at the oblivious Dwarf. Nori caught this exchanged of looks and frowned.

"You know something" He stated to the three and the whole of the company looked on at the two royals and the elder dwarf.

"I am to remain the heir" Fili stated and a slight protest broke out between Dori, Dwalin, Bombur and Bofur.

"That's not for you to decide Lad!" Bofur translated for his cousin Bifur who was signing madly.

"I did not decide." Fili snarled at the toy maker, coming to stand to his feet.

"Thorin does not want his child to rule?" Bilbo asked, completely confused at this decision.

"He does not. This decision is not for you all to judge either. It is his wish that Fili remain as heir and as his people, it would do you well to respect that and respect Fili." Balin spoke loudly, supporting the young prince's right to rule. Several of the company muttered their apologies and looked sheepishly down at their laps in shame.

"I need to sleep, Thorin" Anya said weakly as Thorin took Thariis from her arms so she could cover herself up.

"Would you like me to stay with you?" He asked and Anya said no, telling him that she expected the others were eager to see the baby, especially his nephews, and that he should go to them. Making sure that she was comfortable, Thorin cradled his son in his arms and let the room; glancing back quickly to see that she had already fallen asleep. Taking each step down carefully, Thorin could not help but allow a beam to appear across his face. Thariis had remained awake after his feeding, and was, thankfully, quiet, bar from random noises he would make now and then. He had cried his heart out when he entered the world, and so Thorin presumed he was worn out now. Rounding the bottom of the staircase, Thorin slowly approached the door where his men were left.

"I think someone is coming" Thorin could hear Ori speak, and one set of footsteps was heard. Balin suddenly poked his head around the corner and regarded his old friend and King and the small wrapped up bundle in his arms. He grinned at Thorin and admired his stress free features. He had not seen him like this for some time; it truly was a treat to look upon. Walking back into the room, Balin sat down with a smile and all guessed who was on their way, and so their looked to the door in anticipation. Finally reaching his destination, Thorin stepped into the room, and glanced around at the happy faces of his men, and suddenly, Bilbo began to clap. The king dwarf regarded the Halfling as he was stood, clapping and was surprised when his nephews copied, and soon, the whole room was filled with clapping dwarves. It had gone on for a few minutes until a dash of gold caught his eye. Turning his head, Thorin regarded his eldest nephew who now came to stand beside him. Fili placed a hand on his uncle's arm and looked down at the small dwarf.

"He's so tiny…" Fili began and gently touched the baby's hand. "… What's his name?" Thariis' eyes were wide as they looked upon a new face. Thorin grinned at his nephew then glanced over at his men. Arching his arms higher, to show the baby to the company, he spoke.

"Men, I would like you to meet Thariis, son of Thorin" He announced with such pride and Thariis' eyes moved around eagerly over the new faces. "Balin, I do believe this is going to be a quiet one" He chuckled and before the white haired dwarf could reply, Thariis let out an ear shattering wail. The whole company froze to their spots for a split second before they roared with laughter. "Perhaps not" Thorin spoke, his smile stretching from ear to ear.

"He is very much like you" Balin commented, coming closer to the baby. "You were a noisy one" Thorin smiled warmly at his old friend and happily passed his crying son over to him. Balin cradled the small baby.

"We are so happy for you and Anya, Uncle" Kili spoke up, gazing at Thorin.

"Thank you Kili…" answered the son of Thrain and turned his attention to Oin. "Oin, you have done much, and I am thankful for that… but please could you see to Anya; I worry for her" Oin nodded immediately, and after conveying his deepest congratulations to his master, he left the room in haste. The company however huddled together to take a look at the royal baby.

"Awww, look…"

"I think he just smiled at me"

"No Dori that was wind"

"His eyes are so blue"

"Taking after the Durin bloodline I see"

"The elf was right, he is big for 5 months"

"Did he just… ewww!"

"Well, now we know he has a right royal backside too" Balin commented as a waft lifted in the room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> what do you think of the Baby's name? Would love to know!
> 
> A/N: Tariis is pronounced. Tar-eese.


	37. Chapter 37

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all, so my apologies for the lateness o the chapters. So this isn't really a full chapter, just a little snap shot of what is to come. I hope you enjoy it nevertheless. Please, review. Constructive criticism much appreciated. Much loves
> 
> .

A week had passed and the company had grown to both hate and love the child. Love it, for what it was, and hate it for disrupting their sleep; something a dwarf needed was sleep. Anya had gotten stronger day by day, but her attachment to the child was not a strong one. Oin, Balin and Thorin had all passed it off as post- natal withdrawal; however, Anya would have none of it. She would hold her child, nurse the child, but her expression was one of total weariness the whole time. Fili and Kili had taken turns to nurse their young cousin, completely ecstatic about having one for the first time in their lives. It also became a distraction for the younger nephew of Thorin, for since the birth of young Thariis, Tauriel had not yet returned as promised to bid a farewell before she left for the realm of mirkwood. They knew that most of the elves had not left yet, for they were still confined in the homes in which they stayed. But as for the whereabouts of the kind, red haired elven woman, there was nothing but speculation. Some had said that she had lied to them and returned to the king of the forest realm to inform them of the half dwarven new born and of their intentions. Others merely stated that she was most likely held up on business and would honour her promised to young Kili. That was still to remain.

Anya did not leave the bedroom, at all. Bilbo and a few others had taken to visiting her in her 'sick bed' but that was as far as it went. Because of this, their king was seldom seen. He occupied himself with his son and weary wife and most days, the company of Thorin Oakenshield were somewhat withdrawn because of this and it seemed like the quest that was ahead of them was now behind them. This was a sad thing, and painful for the soon to be king who witnessed the lack of energy in the company. He knew that they had to move eventually; but what of Anya? What was he supposed to do? Leave her here? Bring her and the child along and risk both of their lives? He knew what he had to do, but was too afraid to do it. Not that he would ever say that to his men; he was too proud for that.

It was a dreary morning. The rain began to fall like liquid diamonds from the vast expanse of azure blue and charcoal grey canvas about the Lake Town. It pattered against the window like little stones a loved one would throw to gain the attention of the one who captured their affection. Amidst the howling of the wind and the wailing of the baby boy, a cold breeze swept into the home and white flakes of snow began to fall from the sky. Winter was drawing near, which meant that the time for the entrance of the realm of Erebor to be revealed was nearing closer and closer; a daunting aspect for them all. "What I wouldn't do to be sat by my hearth, with a blanket wrapped around me with a book in my hand. It's this sort of weather that calls for the comforts of home" Bilbo announced, glancing into the dancing flames of the fireplace.

"Visualising such things right now will only dampen your spirit even more my little friend" Bofur replied, glancing up from a piece of wood and knife that he held in his hands, beginning to carve a statue for the little Durin baby. Bilbo sighed heavily at this feeling of withdrawal from his home and lifestyle.

"Are we to just sit, locked up in here, and do nothing?" Nori said after a few moments of silence.

"Yes, there is naught else we can do at this given time" Dwalin grumbled, sharpening his axe with a rock that he had found just outside when he snuck out for a little fresh air.

"A great quest this has turned out to be" Bombur mumble, feeling the effects of lack of substantial meals.

"Anya, come with me to see the others?" Thorin inquired of his love, coming to stand beside the bed in which she led. The blonde human, sighed loudly, looking over at the bundle that led quietly on a make shift cot. An overwhelming sense of sadness washed over her. Thorin knew this, nevertheless he tried his best to make light of the situation. "Please, the others miss you greatly. Do not hide away any longer. You are not going to improve health by remaining here, in this bed."

"Thorin-"She began with a weary close of the eyes

"Anya, you have to make some effort. I did not want to say anything because of your state of health, but, I do not think we shall be remaining her for long. We meaning the company and I. I know we have just had a child, but the child needs somewhere to live. We must carry on with the quest so we can provide such a thing for him. Come and greet the company, in case it is the last time you see them until we return victorious" Thorin confessed and Anya's eyes widened in shock at his words. He was planning on leaving, when the child was just over a week old. The mayor of Lake Town would not be discourteous, he would allow them to stay longer, and after all, they were treated like the famous, like royalty. What rush was there to reclaim their homeland. She could not believe that even after the birth of his son, still, all he could think on was his quest.

"When were you planning on leaving?" Came her soft, distant reply. Thorin took in a deep breath and folded his arms behind his back, turning to look out of the window and the chattering crowed outside, going about their day to day lives.

"The day after next" He stated, firmly. "If we are to reach the gate's unveiling in time, it would do us good to leave then"

"And is everyone else aware of this?"

"They are; that is why I am eager for you to see them. Anya, can you understand?"

"I understand that you are eager to reclaim your homeland because of what you have been through, but what I cannot understand is your lack of…. Shall we say 'upset' in leaving both your new born son and I?"

"You think it is not hard for me to leave you and my new born child? Of course it is! I am ripping apart inside that I cannot take you with me. If I were to I would risk both your lives; I am not prepared to risk such a thing." Thorin snapped, his eyes raging with anger as he looked over his loved one then over to the make shift cot where his son had suddenly woken by the loud voice. Walking over to the cot, Thorin reached in and pulled out the baby, gently holding him to his chest. "I never thought it possible that this could happen…" Thorin began, talking about the baby "… I have lived my whole life alone, and now on the most important quest I have ever taken in my life, I am blessed with a soon to be wife and a son; you have no idea how hard this decision is for me. But know, I am doing this for you"

"Thorin, don't leave us alone here" Anya begged, pleaded even, leaving the bed she sat in and walked over to the two most important people in her life.

"Don't do this Anya" The son of Thrain warned, looking away from her pleading stare down to his sleepy son. Placing a gentle kiss on his head, Thorin slowly rocked him back to sleep.

"Thorin-"

"Anya-"

"Your son!"

"I know, I know. Do I put everything on halt now? Leave my people in wait of the possibility of moving back to their home? What the men have gone through; Kili, Ori, Bilbo… all that would have been in vain if I were to stop now. Gloin could be with his son and wife as could Bombur. By stopping this, I would have robbed them of their happiness. Can you not see that?"

"I can, but I do not want to. I want us to be together!"

"And we will. Do not be selfish Anya. It's not just our son's life that matters. The lives downstairs matter too. I care for you both as I do them." Spoke Thorin, feeling frustrated.

"I can't deal with this… give him to me" Anya said, holding out her arms for her son Thorin passed Thariis to him. Turning her back on him, Anya stormed over to the door.

"What are you doing?" questioned the king under the mountain.

"Saying goodbye!" She said bitterly and Thorin sighed heavily.

.0


	38. Decisions, Decisions, Decisions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey there all my lovely followers and fans of this story. Firstly, I owe you all an apology for the absence of said chapter. My internet has been down a while as has my tumblr on my computer so I have only been able to access things through my mobile network. Finally it is back up and im able to post things! I am close to posting my Loki and Hannibal chapter also if you are following them.  
> So, I hope you enjoy this chapter and I hope it isn’t too much of a disappointment for you all;Trying to get into the swing of things.  
> Much love. Please, please, please let me know what you think! R&R x

“It won’t be too long until we see each other again, Anya. Don’t worry Lass. You take good care of yourself and your young one now” Balin spoke, placing a gentle hand upon Anya’s shoulder as she held her child, with tears falling from her eyes. Thorin stood in the distance, watching his wife to be say farewell to the members of the company and felt a pang of guilt inside of him. He was to leave her alone, in this lake town, without anyone, with just their new born as company. It was a hard decision, but a decision that had to be made nevertheless. Anya pecked old Balin on the cheek and turned finally to the two young princes whom both held upon their faces, looked of utter heartbreak.  
“We’ll see you soon Anya: you’ll have a nice home to come to when we do” Kili spoke up, his eyes glassy and Fili nodded his head in agreement. Anya forced a smile and looked down at her baby boy.  
“Did you hear that Thariis, a new home, wont that be nice” She whispered and Thariis looked up at her with his big eyes and began to wail loudly. Cooing him, Anya turned her head to the side and rested her head atop his, rocking him in her arms.  
“Is everyone packed?” Thorin suddenly spoke, breaking the tense atmosphere. The company looked around sheepishly and nodded their heads. They too felt and overwhelming sense of sadness leaving the woman they had gotten to know so well and now, a new born baby. “We should leave soon…” At this, Anya turned around, with wide eyes and looked over at her love.  
“You told me to say my farewells because you would be leaving in a day or so, not today!” As she raised her voice Thariis began to wail even louder and the company slowly left the room without another word, knowing that the couple needed to speak alone.  
“I know that; but the longer we stay here, the more time we waste… I am so sorry; leaving you like this. It tears me apart knowing what you have gone through and now that I am leaving you; but it is for you, for us… for Thariis” Thorin said as Bilbo left the room, leaving it empty. Walking up to Anya and his son, Thorin allowed his emotions to flow as a tear trickled down his cheek. Anya sniffled and kept her gaze down on her son as his wailing began to stop as he made himself tired. Reaching out a hand, Thorin stroked her cheek and leant forward to place a kiss on her forehead.  
“Do you promise to come back to us?” She said, barely above a whisper.  
“I promise I shall return to you” He said firmly, with authority in his voice. Nodding, accepting his answer, Anya, stood on her tip toes and placed a loving kiss on the son of Thrain’s lips. “Take good care of yourselves…” He spoke quietly, breathing in his loves scent to remember her by. Then, moving to his son, he placed a kiss upon his now sleeping head. “Farewell my son” looking at Anya one last time, he bowed and took a deep breath.  
“Be careful and stay in one piece; you have a woman to marry” Anya commented, her voice shaking as she watched Thorin walk towards the door without another word, knowing that if he looked back, he would not leave. Following quietly, she watched as the company, with weapons and bags upon their backs, courtesy of the master of Lake Town, made ready to leave. And one by one, they did just that, exiting the guest house in which they remained these weeks past. The last person left in the room was dear Ori, who looked back and forth from the company to Anya in sadness. “What is it Ori?” Anya inquired softly. The young dwarf pulled something out of his pocket and placed it on a table that was beside the door.  
“For you…” He motioned to it and with a quick, final bow, left in haste. Anya strolled up to the door and watched as the people of Lake Town, on knowing their departure gave them a kings farewell and just before they disappeared out of sight, Thorin looked back for a moment at his love and son; the expression on his face breaking her heart. And then, he was gone. Stepping fully into the house, closing the door away from prying villagers’ eyes, Anya wept. After placing her sleeping son down gently onto cushioned chair, Anya rushed over to the piece of paper lying on the table. Picking it up and opening it, her eyes scanned frantically over the script. It was full of little messages from each member of the company.   
‘Goodbye Miss Anya; we’ll see you soon’ ~ Ori  
‘Take care old that young rascal. Just like his father when he was a babe, that one” ~ Balin  
‘Don’t get up to any mischief…’ ~ Dwalin  
‘Keep yourselves nice and warm; a cup of tea will do you the world of good’ ~ Dori  
‘We’ll keep him safe…’ ~ Fili & Kili  
‘It was a pleasure Anya, to be in your company. Until we meet again…’ ~ Bilbo  
‘Keep your spirits up; it will be good for both you and the babe. Eat well…” Gloin & Oin  
‘We will miss you’ ~ Bofur & Bifur  
‘Dori told me to apologise for taking the silver knives. Sorry. See you soon Miss Anya & Baby’ ~ Nori  
‘Enjoy the cooked meals. Save me some. Don’t worry yourself, we will see you in no time’ ~ Bombur  
‘I Love you’ ~ Thorin

At the last message Anya realized that the paper was wet from her tears and she dropped to the floor, her heart in agony at being alone in Lake Town.  
0.0.0.0

“He has not said much since we left” Bofur spoke as they were a mere hour away from Lake Town. Thorin had walked on up ahead, quiet, and brooding. The company had all been affected by the sudden absence of young Anya whom they had grown attached to and of course the new prince that had been born. Even Dwalin whom usually showed no emotion to that sort of thing hung his head low, sighing now and then. It truly was a different atmosphere, especially with the knowledge of what now faced them. The comfort of Lake Town was no longer there to protect them, and they were once more bare, vulnerable… afraid in the open country. The only thing that did cause a flicker of hope inside them was the fact that the more they stepped away from Lake Town, the closer they approached Erebor, their final destination.  
“I can’t imagine he would want to same much at this point” Bilbo answered the usually merry dwarf.  
“Neither can I.” Kili mumbled from Behind Bilbo, glancing up ahead at his uncle wandering silently.  
“All in good time lads, all in good time” Oin butted in.   
Thorin sighed as he looked around at the sudden barren land, and the ever nearing mountain of Erebor. He longed to be in his home once more, but the longing to remain by his loves side burned stronger this day. Clutching his new sword tightly at his side, he took a deep breath and began to scout the area. He hoped that the transition from Lake Town to Erebor would be a smooth one; no danger, no risk to anyone’s lives. Yet, he knew deep down that nothing was ever that simple in his life or life in general. Thorin was aware of the banter of his fellow companions behind him, and of his nephews sorrow, for although he pretended not to – he heard everything.  
“Did you hear that?” Bofur spoke aloud, standing still, his eyes attentive.  
“Now is not the time to play games” Thorin finally spoke up, snarling to the toy maker, taking everyone by surprise at the tone in which he spoke to him.  
“Forgive me Thorin, but I do not jest. I hear something following behind” Bofur replied and Thorin sucked in a breath.  
“I hear it too!” Bombur announced. Thorin turned on his heels and faced his company with a slightly pale face.  
“Be prepared” The son of Thrain said effort fully, closing his eyes as he imagined battling with his weary body. Slowly the company all looked at each other in defeat and placed down their items, bracing themselves with their new weapons. Moments later, as all looked around with some nervousness, the sound of rustling was heard, as if someone was running from something. Twigs snapped here and there; but that was all that was heard. Emerging into the light of the expanse of green was a hooded figure. At the sight of the company, said figure came to a halt and remained still, stuck on the spot. Judging by the garb, Thorin gathered that the being was Elven and felt a growl rise in his throat at the thought of being followed by one of Thranduil’s men. “Who are you? Uncover yourself!” Thorin shouted, stepping forward to display his apparent anger at the intruder.  
“Forgive me; I mean not to startle you…” Came a reply and calmly arms were raised to pull down the hood that hid the owners identity. Immediately the company lowered their weapons and a sounded a collective sigh.  
“Tauriel; we thought we would never see you again” Kili sounded, almost too excitedly, but that happiness soon faded when his eyes came to rest upon a darkened piece of skin along her left cheekbone. It was as if everyone had noticed the same thing because seconds later Bilbo spoke.  
“You have been hurt” He stated with concern etched in his voice. Tauriel looked to the ground for a split second in remorse then back up to the company.  
“Why are you here? I was under the impression that you were needed back at your station in Mirkwood” Thorin asked, walking closer and closer towards her.  
“I was needed back. It seems that a member of the king’s guard went on ahead of me after spotting one of you in front of a window. Said elf had been watching me for some time walking in and out of the house. I was oblivious to this ‘stalker’. Thranduil was informed and in turn I faced the wrath of his disproval. I was to be sent to the dungeons for a time for withholding information from the king, or I was to court his son, Legolas - who I was made aware that he harbours feelings for me. I did not want either fate. I managed to slip away. And now, here I stand, before you. I mean what I said, King Dwarf, that I would aid you in any way you see fit. I am here to honour that claim.”  
“You would desert your home, your race to aid a group of dwarves in reclaiming Erebor? Why?” Thorin inquired, unsure of this female’s intention until it came slightly clear in his eyes when he watched her own travel over to his youngest nephew.  
“I would do the right thing that is why”  
“The right thing is helping your races enemies?”  
“The right thing is helping a race I care about, not a race people who would force me to do their bidding and copulate with their child.” This silenced the whole company and not one sound was made. “If you are agreeable, I would join you on this quest?” at this point the men surrounding Thorin turned to face him expectantly for an answer.  
“You may join” He said almost painfully, knowing that he had just agreed to having an elf in his company, though he knew deep down that she was not like the others of her kind. She was willing to leave her home, her kin, to help them and that to him showed loyalty – a quality that he found most endearing in many a people. Tauriel bowed her head in thanks towards the king dwarf then found her eyes trailing once more to young Kili. “We should not linger a moment longer. Kili, I would speak with you” Thorin announced, turning to walk back the way they had been until they were disrupted. Kili tore his eyes away from Tauriel’s own and quickly picked up his bag from the ground before rushing off to his uncles side. Slowing down as he reached his side, Kili glanced nervously at the side profile of his uncle.  
“Uncle?”  
“Kili, I am aware of the feelings you harbour for that elf… is it your intention to pursue those feelings further?” Thorin held nothing back and asked straight away and Kili found his cheeks burning very quickly with embarrassment, but also fear that his uncle might let rip his wrath upon him for falling for an elf maid. As if reading his mind Thorin added “You need not be afraid to speak to me the truth”  
“I uh- I like her very much, but uh, she isn’t an uh, a dwarf lass. Too tall and uh, yeah, probably -“Kili rambled incisively and Thorin could not help but allow a smirk to cross his mouth. He had never seen his nephew so lost for words and this again was confirmation of his nephew’s feelings for the she elf.   
“Kili-“  
“I like her very much yes, but in truth, I know not what I am going to do further. I have had no… experiences in these affairs. Also, I know of your hatred towards their kind and would not disgrace you so by pursuing anything more. I respect you too much to do so”  
“Kili I may harbour unpleasant feelings for their race, but I will not deny you pleasure of courting and such because of me. That would be selfish of me. Besides, she is… nice… enough.” By these words Kili’s mouth dropped open and he gazed at his uncle in utter disbelief. Thorin turned his head and regarded the young dwarf who looked so much like his brother and gave a chuckle. “Do not act so surprised nephew”  
“I uh, thank you, So, I Uh…”  
“Go on” Kili grinned at his uncle and nodded to him before moving back to the back of the company ignoring curious eyes.  
“Is everything alright laddie?” Balin spoke gently, approaching Thorin. Thorin chuckled once more, feeling slightly happier in that moment.  
“Aye, all seems well. Let’s try to keep up the pace. I’d like to be at Erebor by tomorrow eve if possible” He replied changing the topic.  
“Aye” Balin agreed.  
0.0.0.0.0.0.0  
“Shhh, baby, shhh” Anya cooed Thariis and she began to wrap the wailing baby up in a small blanket. A bag was beside her, packed with supplied of food and water and clothing. “Let’s go and find daddy, shall we?” she said with a whisper and picked him up, cradling him against her bosom.   
0.0.0.0.0.0.0.


	39. Of Desolation and Cold

They had been trekking across the barren land for some time now; the magnificence of Erebor becoming even closer and clearer with every weary step they took. They had passed the lake that had run from Lake Town and were now a mere half a day away from the boarder. Thorin looked in awe at his home, his true home, and memories and his love for the place flooded his heart. His pace quickened, and he appeared as though he stomped forward. Though as he approached he found that his heart beat began to slow down as the sight of the foothills of the lonely mountain brought sadness. All the fine greenery that was once there, now left a look resembling a barren land. It was burned away, the precious land burned, by the monstrous Smaug. Nothing was left untouched by him it would seem. The realisation of what they were about to do finally hit home with the heir to the throne and Thorin suddenly felt himself tremble. Stopping still he sighed aloud and a soft hand touched his arm, breaking him from his revere. “Uncle, what is it? are you not happy to walk upon your land once more?”  
“It is not where I stand that saddens me Kili, but the vision before my eyes. It is naught but the remains of desolation; a barren land that brings sore memories back to the front of my mind.” Thorin answered truthfully and looked to the floor.  
“But once we destroy Smaug and reclaim Erebor, will we not bring it back to the glory in which in once stood? Do not loose heart yet Thorin” Balin answered, his eyes watering with slight happiness at standing before his first home once more.  
“You speak wise words Balin, you are right. I cannot let the sight of this land dampen my determination to reclaim our home. Come, let us make haste before the darkness covers us all too soon. We will make the south side of the mountain in a good hour. Then we shall rest, for we cannot do anything in the darkness”  
“We can light a fire” Dori offered as an idea.  
“I appreciate that Master Dori, but the light of the flames may alert the dragon to our presence. We must keep as silent as possible and in as much darkness as possible” the king under the mountain explained and the eldest Ri brother accepted what was told him and remained silent, aware that the night was beginning to draw closer and the need for haste and less chatting was needed. And so, they did as stated and marched with full vigour toward the south side of the mountain where the main gate into the dwarven realm resided, though, Thorin could not help but think it not wise to camp at the main entrance for it was Smaug’s way of getting in and out of the mountain. Without informing the others, so the elder of the company understood, Thorin turned their direction toward the west side of them mountain to give them safe shelter for the night. They trudged on diligently, not complaining of the speed in which they were directed and found themselves looking upon the magnificence of the mountain before them.  
“I can understand Mother’s love for this place now. All those stories of the appearance of Erebor do not match up to the glory of this place before my eyes.” Fili said breathlessly to his brother.  
“Aye, it is far bigger than I thought it would appear” Kili replied, his mouth open in awe as the crept closer and closer.  
“This place is huge” Bilbo exclaimed and Thorin could not help but smile in pride for his home.  
0.0.0.0  
It was nightfall, and, alone and unprotected, the fiancé of the king under the mountain trekked along the barren land in fear with nothing but a day’s provisions on her back and a babe in her arms. It was foolish to leave the safety of Lake Town, though she could not help but feel fearful at the uneasiness she felt in her heart. It was as if she could sense something terrible happening. She should not have brought Thariis along with her, she knew that, but she did not want to leave her son alone with a stranger. She had to follow her heart and that was with Thorin. The view of the mountain, the destination was nearing closer and closer -though her visibility slim, she went on.  
0.0.0.0  
“Are you sure we cannot even produce a small light? I can barely see far enough in front of me to make sure I do not fall or trip over something” Dori complained as he sat upon a rock on the side of the mountain, his arms crossed like a child pouting.   
“Lest you awaken the beast, I think not” Balin chided, having had enough of the complaints from these men. Dori sighed loudly. Thorin paced back and forth on the spot in which he stood and looked out at the barren land before him then back at the mountain by which they stood. He felt a little fire burn within his chest. He was standing on the grounds of him home; a place that he thought he would never see again. Yet, here they all were. “We must all get some sleep” Balin suddenly announced and many, too eagerly, agreed and curled up on the spot which they chose for themselves in the darkness. “Thorin, get some sleep lad…” The white haired dwarf spoke, approaching the younger dwarf.  
“I will take watch Balin, it is the least I can do for you all. Go, sleep. I will be fine” answered the son of Thrain, never tearing his eyes from the land in fear that if he did, something wicked may approach and catch them off guard. The elder dwarf merely sighed and left the king’s side, going to lay down beside his brother.  
0.0.0.0.0.0.  
“Please stop crying…” Anya wept, holding her son close to her chest. “… Please stop. I know it’s cold and dark, but we will have shelter soon. Please stop crying. Something could be out there….” No matter how hard she cooed the child with her tears, nothing seems to comfort him and he wailed and wailed into the night. “… I wish I had a hot water bottle, or a thermal blanket, but I have nothing… im sorry, Thariis, im sorry, but please, try to sleep…” Anya began rocking the babe in her arms, her face wet with salted tears. Thariis slowly tired himself out from the wailing and resorted to a gasp and cry every few seconds until the rocking motion of her mother’s arms soothed him and eventually sent him into a sleep. “…That’s it my love, sleep… it will be over soon…”  
0.0.0.0.0.0  
“Uncle?” Fili whispered in the darkness and Thorin jumped, quickly looking over to the figures sleeping behind him. He was worried.  
“Fili, does something ail you?” he inquired and heard a rustling sound, figuring that Fili was approaching him. Just as he though, his eldest nephew came to stand beside him and placed a hand on Thorin’s arm.  
“I thought I heard something in the distance…” He whispered in reply and stayed unusually close to his uncle. Thorin was surprised by this display of affection - not having experienced it since his nephews were of a younger age. But Fili held on tightly to his uncle’s forearm, his chest almost touching Thorin’s shoulder.  
“Why are you fearful?” Thorin whispered back, turning his head to look into his nephews face; their eyes reflecting the rays of moonlight. The son of Thrain watched as Fili’s bottom lip quivered and his eyes widened in terror.  
“I know not; just a feeling of dread filled my insides after hearing that noise. Can I stand watch with you?” Fili spoke, glancing up at his uncle. Thorin nodded, and taking his nephew by surprise, he lifted his arm and wrapped it around Fili’s shoulder, keeping him close. A moment of silence passed before Fili gasped once more. “… There it is again!”  
“I heard it this time…” Thorin answered and held Fili tighter, reassuring him. “… it may just be the calls of beasts of the night; an owl of some sort…”  
“It’s definitely a call of some kind…” Fili agreed. The golden haired dwarf trembled a moment and Thorin sighed heavily, closing his eyes. Fili, Kili and Ori were too young for this; he admitted. He should have never brought them along. He should have listened to his sister. But his nephews had inherited his stubbornness and Ori was alone; his brothers would not leave him by himself in the Blue Mountains.   
“…I’m with you Fili, don’t be afraid.” Thorin spoke in the darkness and Fili nodded, accepting his uncle’s words. They remained in that position for the whole night, watching the area with alert eyes. It felt like a long night to them both, but eventually the sun began to peak over the mountains in the distance, bringing light to the world once more.  
0.0.0.0  
As soon as the sun began to rise, the light alerted Anya and she woke with a start. Looking down at the babe in her arms, she noticed the slight paleness of his face and the darkened colour to his lips. She did not understand. He was wrapped up well, and had more warmth against his body than she. Filled with panic at the sight, Anya checked his pulse and found it beating at the normal rate, though his skin was a little cold. Holding him tightly against his chest, Anya rubbed his back to cause friction and warmth. Thariis remained asleep and so, wanting to make a move as soon as possible, Anya rose to her feet, holding her child safely as she picked up her back pack and quickly made her way once more, towards the mountain.  
0.0.0.0.0  
Fili broke away from his uncle when the company began to wake and, with tired eyes he scanned the area for his brother and made his way over to him. Thorin on the other hand did not pull his eyes from the land, not matter how tired he was. He was convinced that Fili had slept standing up, leaning against him last night. He did not mind though; at least his kin had some sort of a restful life. That was all he could ask for. As he glanced at the land, he thought his eyes spotted some movement, but merely shrugged it off as tiredness and turned his back, knowing that it was safe in daylight now. Glancing back at his company, he looked over them all, checking the numbers, and then allowed his eyes to admire the walls of his home.  
Suddenly an almost inaudible shout sounded from the distance. “Did you hear that?” Bilbo inquired, his keen ears twitching.  
“I can hear something…” Bofur agreed.  
“Bless me…” Dwalin gasped “… Look…” The elder dwarf spoke, pointing his tattooed finger forward with a look of surprise on his face.  
“That looks to be Anya, unless my eyes deceive me in my old age…” Balin replied, looking to where his brother was pointing and noticed a figure approaching with a bundle in its arms. Thorin spun around at the sound of Anya’s name being mentioned and looked across. The whole company then gathered together in a huddle and looked across to the approaching figure that seemed to be picking up its pace. Thorin held his breath.  
0.0.0.0.0  
Thariis began to get colder, no matter how much she tried to warm him. Anya began to panic and picked up the pace. Glancing up at the mountain, she spotted a gathering of people and felt her heart jitter with excitement as she gathered it was the company. “Thorin!” She cried out, hoping he would hear her cry.  
0.0.0.0.0  
“Anya?!” Thorin called back on hearing his name being shouted out. The happiness he felt on seeing her soon died away when he began to panic at the realization of the situation. Anya had followed and brought his child with her, and now she was rushing, something clearly was amiss. Turning around, pushing past his men, Thorin made to descend the rock on which they stayed the night.  
“Thorin, where are you going?” Dwalin called out and the whole company watched him.  
“Uncle, stay here!” Kili called after him. But Thorin neither answered nor listened to anyone and quickly made it to the ground. The company turned once more and watched as their King made his way over to the approaching Anya.  
Thorin ran and ran, though he was tired, he did not care. He had to be with Anya and his child. He had to make sure she was safe. “Anya!” He called out again as she neared quickly. Eventually they found themselves standing yards apart, just looking at one another. Anya looked weary. The rush and the journey had wearied her, especially her son, and she felt as though her legs would give way at any moment. And just like that; they did. Anya dropped to the floor, still clinging onto her son to make sure he was not hurt in the fall. Thorin gasped, wide eyed and rushed to her.  
“Oh goodness!” Gloin gasped sadly at seeing Anya fall in the distance.


	40. Chapter 40

Thorin reached down and placed his hand on the back of Anya’s back to support her so that she did not fall backwards and hit her head. As her head lolled from side to high, heavy with tiredness, her grip on her babe began to loosen. Noticing this, Thorin slowly lowered Anya to lie down on the floor and then gently took his son in his arms. As he cradled the child, Bilbo, bofur and Dwalin arrived in a bout of huffs and puffs. Bilbo dashed straight over to Anya and lifted her up into a sitting position, allowing her weight to rest on him. Thorin looked at his love for a little longer, then to his son, and for a time he found himself gazing into the babe’s eyes; his own filling with tears. Never had he imagined that he would hold a child of his own in his arms on the land of his fathers before him. “Is she ok?” Thorin asked a few minutes later, looking over to Bilbo.  
“She has fallen asleep” The hobbit replied, stroking Anya’s head soothingly. Thorin nodded then looked toward Dwalin and Bofur.   
“Can you help carry her to the top please? I would be most grateful.” Thorin asked and the others agreed with smiles, instantly picking up the woman that led on the floor. Dwalin took over and placed her over his shoulder – she did not weigh much recently these days. Thorin walked toward the mountain with his son in his arms and feared. Not only for his life and for his mothers, but also for his companies; should his son wail he could wake of the beast that lay behind the mountain walls? Slowly, Thariis began to wake in his father’s arms, and Thorin feared. But, surprisingly, as soon as the babe’s eyes opened and latched onto those of his fathers, he reached out his tiny hands and grasped Thorin’s long hair. Smiling, the son of Thrain watched as the blue tint to Thariis’ lips began to return to normal colour slowly. “Hello my son…” He whispered and Thariis gripped the locks harder, his tiny mouth open wide as he took in his father’s appearance. “You have a strong grasp, my boy, just like your grandfather…” Thariis tightened his grasp even more and Thorin gave a slight chuckle. Looking quickly over his shoulder he noted Dwalin was walking with some speed, wanting to get Anya to the top of the mountain safely. Wanting not to be left behind, Bofur and Bilbo also picked up the pace. Taking note of this, Thorin sped up, eager to get back to the others.  
“Are they both ok?” Balin inquired as soon as all, out of breath, came to the top where the company resided. Thorin merely nodded his head, finding him too short a breath to speak. He too felt suddenly weary, and as she looked around, the company also took note of this. “Give me the boy, Thorin” Balin spoke, approaching the king with his arms open. Complying, the oaken master gently passed his son over to the kind dwarf and quickly sat down on a rock, looking over to his love with concern. Thariis stared at Balin, confused at the new face, though, he did not cry. Balin grinned at the babe and turned toward the company to show them the child once more. Dwalin aimed for a smooth rock and gently placed the woman down onto it, supporting her head.  
“Let me hold him?” Fili sounded, approaching Balin. With a warm smile, Balin passed the babe over to the son of Dis and watched with a grin as the blonde dwarf grinned at the bundle. Thariis instantly grabbed one of the braids dangling from Fili’s moustache and tugged. Squinting at the sudden pain, Fili was surprised by his baby cousin.   
“Strong, is he not?” A voice sounded and the blonde dwarf glanced over to his uncle.  
“Indeed he is” He replied with a chuckle.  
“What are we going to do now?” Dwalin suddenly whispered into Thorin’s ear. “This is no place for a weakened woman and a babe”  
“I did not bring them, Dwalin…” Thorin whispered back, looking away from his nephew and son to his old friend and confidant.  
“Aye, I know that… but this is dangerous. Maybe, maybe a few of us should take them back to Lake Town?”  
“And have her come back to us? She won’t stay there Dwalin”.  
“What do you suppose we do then Thorin?”


	41. Chapter 41

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello all, so, so very sorry for the absence of my chapters. I have been extremely busy with family and university work. Being in third year in university, my assignments are even more demanding as well as my 10, 000 dissertation that needs doing on top of everything else.  
> I have also lost enthusiasm recently because of writers block but also due to some feedback I have received that has knocked my confidence a bit in my ability to produce a piece of writing.  
> I love you all, and am so grateful that you take time to read my stuff.  
> I hope you enjoy this chapter and forgive the quality. This is the first thing I have produced since I posted the last big chapter. I need to get back into the swing of things.  
> Please, read and enjoy and tell me what you think. CONSTRUCTIVE criticism is very much welcome.

Hello all, so, so very sorry for the absence of my chapters. I have been extremely busy with family and university work. Being in third year in university, my assignments are even more demanding as well as my 10, 000 dissertation that needs doing on top of everything else.  
I have also lost enthusiasm recently because of writers block but also due to some feedback I have received that has knocked my confidence a bit in my ability to produce a piece of writing.  
I love you all, and am so grateful that you take time to read my stuff.  
I hope you enjoy this chapter and forgive the quality. This is the first thing I have produced since I posted the last big chapter. I need to get back into the swing of things.  
Please, read and enjoy and tell me what you think. CONSTRUCTIVE criticism is very much welcome.  
.0  
"Where is my child?" Anya said with a panic, waking up as a cold breeze washed over her.  
"Thariis is with Balin. The poor thing will not warm up. Maybe once we get inside the mountain, he will warm up." Dori answered, looking at the startled woman.  
"ok… When will we enter the mountain?"  
"Well, Durin's day is today Miss Anya, so when the sun sets. It must be late afternoon now. You slept sometime." Anya sighed. To the side of her, the King on his mountain watched with critical eyes as his youngest nephew approached the mountain with the red haired elf. Shaking his head, not believing the situation, he took in a deep breath.  
"This is a mess…" Thorin heard Dwalin mutter behind him, and he could do nothing but agree. Slowly the company formed back together and Tauriel approached the king and his guard with a sheepish look upon her face.  
"Is there a problem, Elf?" Thorin asked irritably to the she elf. Tauriel shook her head and dropped onto her knees in front of him.  
"I have betrayed my king to help your kin. I have shown my loyalty to you, Thorin. Please, can we not be friends? I do not like this distain I am experiencing from you”  
"You would befriend us as well as serve us?" Balin cut in, clearly surprised at this she elf's confession.  
"As I said in Lake Town, master dwarf, I would happily serve you. And to be your friend, a comrade to you all, would make me happy indeed. We were friendly to each other in Lake Town when I aided Anya. What has changed from our journey from there until now? Am I not the same elf?…" She spoke, glancing at the elder dwarf for a second before turning to face the king once more "… Can we not be friend? Can we not be civil? What say you?" Thorin huffed and looked away to his wife and son. It was true, she had aided his wife to be without question, and she proved to be generous to them despite his unkind nature to her. Thorin clenched his fists, annoyed with himself at being unable to come to a conclusion. In that moment, he chanced a glance up and looked into the eyes of his nephew. Kili pleaded with his eyes; it was clear as day that he held great feelings for the woman, though he was not happy to admit. The thought of crushing his nephew's heart hurt more than the thought of disappointing his father, and so, without a word, Thorin merely nodded his head and walked away, hearing the sigh of relief from the she elf.  
.0 .0.0  
"Thorin, we must start to climb if we are to find the hidden door in time" Fili spoke an hour later, leaving the company to find his uncle by himself, staring at the key to Erebor in his hands. The dark haired male glanced up and looked to the owner of the voice.  
"How Fili, how can we climb with a weakened woman and a babe? I will not leave them here while we all climb."  
"Trust Tauriel; she may be a woman, but she has strength, she can support Anya, or at least carry your son. Make use of her. We are all here to help in anyway. It can be done" Fili persisted, approaching his uncle. "Don't let what we have gone through be in vain. We came here to reclaim what is ours; let us achieve that" the son of Thrain gazed at his blonde haired nephews and exhaled loudly, nodding his head.  
"Alert the others… I must speak with Anya…" Thorin answered, and rose to his feet, walking back to the camp.  
.0  
"Please Thorin, we will just be baggage. You climb the mountain. I will wait in this camp with Thariis. We'll be safe here. We'll keep Tauriel with us. You'll move faster without us; you know that is the truth. We'll join you once the door is opened… I can't move, not now"  
"What if an orc pack come Anya?"  
"Tauriel will fight them off"  
"What if…"  
"THORIN! Go, please. You're losing time thinking of excuses here." Anya huffed and held her son closer to her bosom. Thorin closed his eyes in defeat and knelt down beside his love.  
"I will never forgive myself if anything happened to you" He whispered in her ear.  
"Nothing will, trust Tauriel, please." She responded and turned her head to place a kiss on his cheek. Thorin breathed in the scent of his soon to be wife and nodded. Rising to his feet he looked down at his wife and son.  
"I will be back soon. I love you"  
"I know…" Anya answered with a smile and shooed him away with her hand. The son of Thrain slowly walked away and headed toward his company.  
"Tauriel!" Thorin called to the she elf and she complied, walking toward the dwarf in haste. "You are to stay with Anya and Thariis and protect them. If anything, I mean anything, happens to them, I will personally hand you over to Thranduil. Do I make myself clear?" he warned his tone dark. Tauriel reassured the king, placing a hand over her heart and bowed. "Go then." He snapped and she rushed to the mortal woman and child.  
.0.  
"I can see a ledge!" Ori squealed, holding onto the rock face, high up onto the mountain. The company had been climbing for some time now and had some scary incidents of slipping on the rock, but the thought of reaching their goal burned so fiercely in their chests, that it did not sway them and they ploughed on up.  
"Do you think it's the doorway?" Gloin asked.  
"I don't know, what does it look like?" Orin questioned breathlessly.  
"How do we know lad, it's a hidden door!" Bofur called up earning a few sniggers from the company and two rosy cheeks on the young dwarf.  
"Enough talking and move; that is the only ledge left until we reach the mountain top. It must be the right one." Thorin shouted.  
"Uncle's acting strangely" Kili whispered to his brother as he grabbed onto another stone and pulled himself up.  
"Don't worry; you're not the only one to notice…." Bilbo spoke, on hearing Kili speak to his brother.  
"He is just concerned is all…" Fili spoke.  
"Yeah sure, if that's what you want to call it" Kili replied, moving on quickly up the mountain.  
.0  
"Your child is ill." Tauriel stated, coming to sit beside the woman who was shivering. Anya held the babe, looking solemnly into its eyes.  
"I know" the human simply stated and a frown formed on the she elf's forehead.  
"Why have you not told Thorin?" Anya looked to the red haired, with tears forming in her eyes.  
"I have seen a change in him; one I do not like. It makes me sick to the bone to say; but I do not think it would have fazed him. The want for his home, for his family's wealth is so powerful. That is all he can see. He was concerned about leaving me here, yes… but even as he was speaking of his concern I could see the want in his eyes…"  
"You think he has been consumed by his grandfather's sickness?" Tauriel inquired, running her warm hand gently on the babe's head.  
"I do. I have no doubt that the gold up there is the only thing on his mind right now." Tauriel swallowed hard as he held the baby's wrist, checking his pulse.  
"I will do everything I can for Thariis, Anya"  
"I know you will Tauriel, I know." Anya replied and closed her eyes, feeling sleep creep over her body. The red haired elf took Thariis into her arms and cradled him, humming an elven lullaby to him.


	42. The beginning of the end

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello all, here is the next chapter. I do apologize for the lack of posting. My third year in university is beginning to become demanding and also my spirit for writing has been dampened for some time. im slowly getting back into the swing of things, but im saddened that my enthusiasm for writing has yet to reveal itself again. So, I hope you enjoy this chapter; it’s the first thing I’ve written since the last chapter, so it may not be as interesting and well written as the others. I do hope to get back into the swing of things. So please, enjoy and review. It would greatly encourage me to hear back from you, but please, only constructive criticism or happy reviews. Nastiness is not nice and not confidence building at all.  
> Missed you all. Loves x

The moon began to rise in the ink black sky and the company of dwarves rushed in panic to locate the passage way into the mountain. Thorin had already given up; thinking that the only opportunity into the mountain would be revealed by day light, but the master burglar suggested with some enthusiasm that perhaps it was the moonlight that was referenced in the prophecy, not sunlight. Nori had taken his burglary/thieving skills to tapping the walls for weaknesses, whilst the rest of them felt the walls for some kind of weakness. Kili and his brother began to wonder if the prophecy was even true; if it was something Thorin’s grandfather had written in his gold sickness days. It was not until a great gasp of success sounded did the young brothers feel a spark of hope ignite in their chests. “Look!” Master Baggins exclaimed as a ray of moonlight shone onto the expanse of rock.  
“Bless my beard, it’s a keyhole!” Dwalin exclaimed, pointing toward the hobbit. Thorin pushed passed the members of the company and the hobbit and pulled out his key from his pocket, holding it up in the light. Then, taking a deep breath, he slowly inserted the key into the hole, and a rumble like that of an earthquake sounded. The rock shuddered as the magic lifted from the hidden doorway revealing an outline.  
“Help me!” Thorin shouted to his men, bracing himself as he began to push against the stone door. The others rushed instantly to the aid of their king and forced the hidden door open. Instantly, a gush of cold air, full of dead, blew past their faces. “Our home” Thorin whispered as he entered the darkness.   
0.0.0.0  
“Tauriel, I don’t think we are going to last tonight. I can feel myself getting colder, weaker. I’m struggling to keep him warm” Anya spoke, looking up at the red haired elf. Tauriel turned to face the woman and the child and felt an overbearing sense of sorrow wash over her insides.   
“It is not healthy to speak of such words. I will help you both, you have my word” The she elf said, kneeling on the ground beside the mortal woman and babe.  
“You know as well as I that there is nothing you can do for us out here, or inside that mountain. There are no hospitals here or homeless shelters to keep us warm…” Tauriel frowned at the mention of those unknown places, but did not interrupt. “… I keep thinking about the kind of life my baby would have had back home in my world…” At that point, the she elf did respond with some speed.  
“You are not of this world?!”  
“No. I do long to go home. I wish, sometimes that I had taken Galadriel’s offer and stayed in Rivendell that little longer so I could go home. But then, I wouldn’t have Thariis… I’m so confused. But it doesn’t matter anymore; Im not going to see Thorin again. I know that. Either he will choose not to leave that mountain, being overwhelmed by that gold of his, or we won’t last the night… I’m thankful though, for the time I’ve had here; this child of mine, the people I’ve met…”  
“Anya, please do not think like that. Thorin will come back down for you both, rest assured.”  
“I can’t, im not strong enough to rest assured. You’ll keep Thariis warm, won’t you?”  
“Anya, I promised-”  
“Won’t you?”  
“I will, but I refuse to give up on you Anya. The day is yet to dawn; the warmth from the sun will warm you.”  
“It’s not just warmth I need” Anya spoke softly followed by a heavy sigh. Then placing a kiss on Thariis’ head, she lifted him up to the she elf for her to take him. “My eyes are heavy; I need to rest” she explained, though Tauriel thought to herself that it was more than tiredness that she was concerned with. Not wanting to show her concern, the red head nodded and turned her back to the woman, looking down at the small bundle in her arms.  
“We must pray to Ilúvatar for healing… Your mother is sick” She knew that the young baby boy could not understand her, nor reply, but she felt a sorrow flood over her that she had never experienced before, and needed to speak aloud to another to save her from experiencing mortal despair.  
…..  
“Can you see anything in there Laddie?” Balin whispered loudly into the darkness of the mountain.  
“I can see nor hear anything. Perhaps the beast has finally starved to death…” Thorin began, “Master burglar, it’s time for you to shine”  
“I beg your pardon?” Bilbo answered, walking into the entrance to the mountain.  
“I need you to confirm that it is safe to enter fully into the mountain. You are after all, an unfamiliar scent to the dragon. If it is alive, it should not sense your presence.”  
“You want me to enter Smaug’s lair?” Bilbo asked, astounded.  
“That is why you are here, hobbit.” Thorin gritted between his teeth and bade him to come forward. Bilbo did as commanded and before he was pushed near the staircase, the king under the mountain whispered in his ear. Not a moment later, Bilbo found himself walking down the staircase, with an unfamiliar word ringing in his mind; ‘Arkenstone’.   
“What if the dragon is awake?” Ori inquired as Bilbo was out of sight.  
“What of it?” Thorin grumbled, frowning at the young dwarf; an expression not missed by the company. Kili nudged Fili emphasising his point earlier that their uncle was changing and not for the good. Ori blushed greatly and looked to the floor. “Well?” Thorin snapped and Ori shook his head, not wanting to pursue the conversation for fear that he might lose his head. Dwalin walked past his old friend, and silently comforted the young, embarrassed dwarf. Thorin remained in the darkness, his eyes filled with… something… staring into the mountains heart.  
“I hope Bilbo will be alright” Oin spoke quietly and a variety of hums sounded in agreement.  
0.0.0  
“You fool, Bilbo… why did you leave the shire!” Bilbo scolded himself as he walked over the mounds of gold; coins, goblets, plates… it was astounding. As he looked over the piles of precious stones and jewellery, the hobbit was oblivious to the breathing mass up ahead of him, soundly sleeping. As he paused to rummage through the items before him, he spotted a find piece of jewellery and picked it up to examine it; it reminded him of something his mother used to wear, but also what was worn by the elves in Rivendell. Perhaps an elven piece of jewellery; they did after all do business with the dwarves did they not. Not caring for precious items such as that, the hobbit placed it back and in turn lifted up a rather spectacular goblet. Eyeing it with awe, Bilbo had not realized that a flow of gold coins began to descend towards him. It was not until a sound resembling that of a loud yawn sounded. Snapping his head up to look, Bilbo dropped the goblet in fright. An enormous creature led on a pile of gold before him. The beast’s chest rose and deflated rapidly; it was not dead, and what was worse… it was waking. Quickly finding his ring, he placed it on his finger and tried to contain his speed of his own breathing.  
Smaug roared as he woke fully and stood full height in the halls of the dwarven kings. His head lashed from side to side as his nose caught the hobbits scent. “Where are you? I can smell your flesh!” Smaug roared his voiced reverberating along the walls and floors and caused Bilbo’s breath to catch in his throat. Bilbo’s eyes landed on his fantastical sharp claws and piercing golden eyes. His red scales were the colour of rubies and his voice was like the sound of a thousand screams. “I may not be able to see you, but the beating of your heart and the puffs of breath you take are clear as day. Do not be afraid, step where I can see you, mysterious one” Smaug announced, but the thought of revealing himself to the beast was too much to handle, and so, Bilbo took a deep breath and ran back form where he came. The movement of the gold caught the dragon’s attention and Smaug took to running toward it. “I will find you, hidden one!”  
0.0.0.0  
“What was that?” Fili exclaimed.  
“That, my lad, was a dragon…” Balin answered.  
0.0.0.0  
“The beast is awake!” Tauriel spoke breathlessly after hearing the roar up above her. Thariis began to wail at the frightening sound. Holding him gently, Tauriel began to rock him to calm him down. Feeling rather nervous, she looked over her shoulder at the mortal woman and gasped. Anya was much paler than when she turned her back. “Anya?” Tauriel carefully lowered herself to her knees and held onto the baby with one hand as he checked the woman’s pulse with the other. “Anya?”  
……..  
“Anya?”  
“Mother?” Anya answered, finding herself standing in a pale white barren land, with an outline of a person covered in light standing before her. Anya squinted, and lifted her hand to her eyes to shield herself from becoming blind.  
“Yes my sweetheart?” The angelic voice sounded. Anya felt her heart quicken at the sound of the long lost voice.  
“Mother! It truly is you; but, I thought you were - ” Anya replied, lowering her hand as the glow lessened and she looked into the perfect face of her mother.  
“I am, but do not let death dampen the spirits of this moment we have together.”   
“I don’t understand; if you are dead, then what- what am I?”  
“Your heart and mind are strong, my love, but your body is not willing to live among the living any longer…”  
“Then what is this?” Anya interrupted, flailing her arms about, pointing at the white abyss surrounding her.  
“This? This is your body trying to fight, trying to win” The woman spoke, with a sad smile on her face, and took a step toward the young woman.  
“Am I? Am I winning?” Anya whispered, tears welling up in her eyes as she thought about Thorin, about her son. She could not see them in this barren land of nothingness and she feared.  
“She certainly wants you to win…” Was all her mother said and pointed to the sky. Anya glanced up, thankful to rid her eyes of the blinding whiteness and found herself looking at Tauriel’s face. She could not understand what she way saying; all she could see was the she elf holding her son, speaking frantically, whilst staring at Anya. Anya’s eyes burned with tears as she pulled her face from the heart breaking sight.  
“Im not winning am I?” she spoke with devastation in her tone, more to herself than her mother.  
“All things have an end my darling, even if it is sooner than we hoped for. This place, this in between, is not so bad. It’s quite calming.”  
“This isn’t heaven?” Anya questioned with confusion, and as she did she noted several golden haired elves walking by, chatting cheerfully.   
“You are not on earth, Anya. This is a different world. This is the hall of mandos; a sort of waiting room for souls that have passed on and their fate undecided. That is why Elves surround you…” As Anya’s mother said those words, she noted the ever increasing number of elves wandering.  
“But, but I don’t want to leave my son or Thorin! I want to leave this place! I cannot stay in this freakish waiting room! Let me out of here!!” Anya screamed, and as she did, the visage of her mother flickered before her eyes.  
“Don’t’ fight fate Anya, don’t fight it” Her mother whispered in the eerie air as Anya screamed and screamed to get out.  
……..  
“Anya!” Tauriel persisted, shaking the woman’s shoulder gently. Anya’s hand twitched and she slowly opened her eyes.  
“I won’t let them win” She spoke to no one in particular, dazed as her body slowly began to shut down.  
“Won’t let who win, Anya?” Tauriel inquired and Anya’s eyes slowly focused on the she elf.  
“I was there, there in the halls of mandos…”  
“What? How do you know about that?”  
“I don’t want to go there Tauriel, don’t let my body loose”  
“Anya, I do not know what you are speaking of!”  
“I saw her, my mother. She was there, with the elves, dressed in golden light, like she was a star from heaven…”  
“You must have been dreaming Anya, do not worry, you are safe”  
“I feel myself slipping. I don’t want to leave without him, without my baby. My dreams are turning to dust as will my body soon be. Tell them I love them, won’t you?” the mortal woman barley spoke, her voice faltering as the blood in her veins began to lower in temperature and her eyes began to feel heavier. The she elf had never experienced such sorrow and was taken by surprise as tears began to fall down her cheeks as she watched the colour slowly disappear from Anya’s skin and the life slowly began to leave her eyes. “I never thought I would have such freedom and happiness in my life. This second chance in this world has been my biggest joy and light. Who thought life could make me feel this complete…” Anya took a deep breath, gasping for air as she tried to finish speaking “… Tauriel, don’t wait with me, go take my son to his father. It… I don’t think I can… I’m… “Tauriel placed a hand on Anya’s head, stroking her hair reassuringly as she watched the movement slow in the mortal woman. “Im not afraid to die; I’m not alone anymore…”  
“Anya, its ok to let go” Tauriel reassured, knowing her body was struggling to stay awake, thought speaking those words was like a knife in her heart. Not a second later did the last breath leave Anya’s mouth, stopping her movement completely? Tauriel sniffled and closed her eyes with her free and stood to her feet, holding the babe in her arms. “Guren níniatha n'i lû n'i a-govenitham. Posto vae *”   
0.0.0.0.0.0  
“What are you doing back here?” Thorin questioned as Bilbo ran back toward the dragon.  
“It’s alive!” Bilbo exclaimed, out of breath.  
“That’s it! Death will be upon us!” Bofur shouted.  
“We must go back in” Thorin ignored Bofur and glared at him men, his eyes like a mad man, and his hair looking darker than its usual appearance. “All of us”  
“Some of us must remain here for the sake of Anya and Thariis; what if they need our help. We must be able to get down to them” Fili objected.  
“They are protected”  
“One elf, Uncle, one elf cannot protect them against a legion or orcs, should one descend.”  
“Enough! We will go in” Thorin snarled and turned his back on the company, walking toward the entrance once more. “Come!”  
“I fear for him” Kili spoke and Balin, the kind, white haired dwarf nodded in sadness.   
“You two…” Balin began, indicating to the two dwarf princes “… I doubt Thorin will notice your absence. Take Bofur with you and fetch Anya and the others. You are right, it is not safe for them to remain down there unprotected. Anya will need some help to climb. We will not be far by the time you get back” Fili, Kili and Bofur nodded and watched as Balin disappeared into the mountain the rest of the company before slowly and carefully climbing down the mountain.  
0.0.0.0.0  
“Come Thariis, we must get cover. I fear something wicked comes our way” Tauriel spoke solemnly as she looked from Anya’s body into the distant, barren land. Then, turning to the hidden stairway, she began to walk toward it, taking one quick, melancholy glance over her shoulder at the body leaning against the rock. This will make corpses of us all, she thought to herself, sighing loudly.  
0.0.0.0  
*Elvish translation: My heart will weep to the time when we will meet again. Rest well.


	43. Chapter 43

It is said that just before you die, your life flashes before your eyes. In Anya's case, her death did. It was a cruel fate most would say; that her body and spirit gave up. Slowly, as her eyes opened, blinding golden light was yet again exposed to her. She clutched her chest in pain at the thought of what just happened. How dare she give up! How dare they take her! Standing to her feet, for she had not realised she was lying down until she looked around, she breathed in the fresh air. This was a beautiful place, but it was not her home. Her home was with her child and baby. Picking up a stone that was on the ground, she threw it with great anger and a cry of rage. "Violence is not permitted in these halls" an eerie voice sounded and Anya turned to face a tall, dark haired elf gazing at her.  
"Well excuse me for being angry at dying!" She snapped and kicked another stone.  
"Angry? Should not you be happy to now be at peace?" He asked, the smile never leaving his face.  
"Peace? PEACE! I'm dead! My child is motherless! My husband to be is alone! You think I know peace here in this god forsaken place?" Anya screamed at him, but his pose did not falter. “I was murdered in my old life and died in my second - I'm yet to experience life fully and you expect me to feel peace?"  
"You are different to those that end up here. Many forget their previous life, or are happy that they have passed on; but not you - you are a fighter"  
"Yeah, and?" Anya snapped.  
"These are my halls; I am the creator. I have seen many pass through these halls and never a being such as you; you who remember all and feel all after death..." He explained. Anya shrugged her shoulders.  
"So? What does that tell you?"  
"It tells me that you are not yet ready for death..." As he spoke those words, Anya’s chest jumped, as if someone had electric pads on her chest, waking her heart. She clutched her chest and scrunched her face at the pain  
"I don't understand" she said as another shock went through her chest. Immediately she saw her mother flash before her face, but a younger version. Out of the corner of her eye a ten year old Anya ran to her giggling. It was her memories. The truth is that your life does not flash before your eyes before you die; but, when life begins to enter your body once more. A searing pain shot through her whole being as images of her family, of her life before this flashed across her eyes, and then, nothing; total blackness. The male elf smiled once more, before turning his back and walking into the light.

0.0.0.0

"I see someone coming!" Bonfire exclaimed, pointing to the figure.  
"It, it looks like Tauriel. But where is Anya?" Kili questioned as the red haired figure approached at rapid speed with the babe in her arms.  
"Tauriel, where is Anya?" Fili asked, rushing up to the elf, looking over her shoulder at the barren land. Tauriel sighed and looked down at the babe in her arms. "Tauriel, where is she?" Fili pressed on, still feeling something in his heart for the mortal woman. Fearing the response that was inevitable, judging by the she elf's expression, Fili shook his head and raised his hands in protest.  
"I bring grave news..." She began. "Anya has passed on to the next life. Her mind was strong but her body was not. It was her wish that I bring the child to his father"  
"Anya’s... Dead?" Kili stuttered, stumbling a little at the news. Tauriel nodded solemnly as she looked the handsome dwarf in the eyes.  
"This will break him..." Fili spoke about his uncle and looked longingly towards the place where they had left the women. "I want to see her..." He said but Tauriel shook her head.  
"We should not disturb her body. We must honour her wish to return the babe to his father" she spoke and Fili exhaled loudly then held out his arm. Tauriel placed the child in the golden haired dwarf’s arms.  
"I will come back after we return Thariis to collect her body. It's not right to leave it for the birds to peck at..." Said Fili.  
"We will help you..." Kili spoke, pointing to bout also. Grievously they turned and began the assent up the mountain once more.

0.0.0.0

A large gasp sounded. Eyes flickered open. The late afternoon sun beat down on the warming body. There was no chill. There was no pain. There was only life.

0.0.0.0.

"Did you see it master hobbit?" Thorin whispered into the Halflings ear whilst the company strolled silently behind them.  
"Whilst terrified and running for my life? I'm afraid not. There is far too much down there to find one precious gem!" Bilbo replied and Thorin huffed, stomping forward. Bilbo shook his head at the easily tempered king and slowed his pace.  
"Don't worry lad, he will calm down soon enough" Balin spoke, placing a comforting hand on his arm. Thorin stopped in a doorway and took in a deep breath.  
"We'll rest for a while; wait until the dragon sleeps again" he announced and took to the floor, eyeing the great golden hall from the distance. The company sighed and took to sitting on the floor also, and a silence fell on the company until Ori spoke.  
"Where are Kili, Fili and bofur?" At the mention of his nephew’s names, Thorin looked over the company and shot to his feet.  
"Where are they?" He asked, looking over the faces of the company. No one replied. "I asked you; where are they?"  
"Here..." A quiet voice spoke in the distance. All the company looked toward the dark corridor as four figures slowly came into view. Fili was the first to show, holding the babe in his arms, next came Kili then Bofur and lastly Tauriel.  
"Fili? Why- why is Thariis here?" Thorin asked, walking past his men toward his nephew and son. Fili silently handed the child to him and looked the floor. Thorin looked over the four of them and his eyes settled on the elf. "Where is Anya? Where is she?" Tauriel went to rely, but Kili thought it best she not speak in this situation and he stepped toward his uncle solemnly.  
"Uncle, Anya has ... She has... She's not..."  
"Anya has passed on" Fili took over from his brother. Thorin’s eyes widened, and the film over his eyes that was greed and sickness peeled away like a snake shedding its scales. He took in a sharp breath and held his son tighter. The mouths of the company opened wide in shock and looked amongst each other.  
"Do not speak lies to me..." Thorin gasped, shaking his head in disbelief. Nori quickly took the babe from the king’s arms with fear that he might drop him in his grief. Tauriel stepped forward, ready to face the brunt of the dwarves rage, remembering his words to her should she fail to protect Anya and his son; but what he did was totally unexpected. Thorin approached the she elf and looked up to her, without any hate in his eyes. "Did... Did she suffer?"

"No, she did not." She answered.

"Thank you for bringing my son to me" he responded and found himself standing still, staring at the floor, confused as to what to do next. It was in that moment that his desire to reclaim his home from the dragon was substantially dampened.

"We can go back for her body" Dwalin stated sadly. Even though he was a hard, warrior, appearing unfeeling, he was genuinely broken by this news. Thorin nodded but raised his hand to pause movement.

"I think, given the circumstances of what has happened... and the sun setting... We... We should wait until morning before we do anything. Those rocks are dangerous at night." Thorin spoke and walked back to Nori to collect his son before sitting back on the floor.

0.0.0.0

"Will he be ok?" Dori asked Balin, watching his king from a distance.

"I cannot say lad. Thorin has lost many things in his life; but this, this is terrible. But we should still look at the good in this..."

"What's that?" Gloom inquired, listening into the conversation.

"At least he has not lost Thariis also. He has a part of Anya inside him" Balin answered.

0.0.0.0

"Do not fret Kili, she is no longer in pain" Tauriel comforted the dark haired dwarf as they both sat in the darkness next to each other. Kili sighed aloud and placed his head in his hands.

"This world is cruel" Kili almost whispered and sniffled. Tauriel placed her hand upon his.

"It may be cruel in some areas, but it is not all bad. Light still shines in the darkness Kili" she spoke softly.

"Forgive me Tauriel, but there is not light in this mountain; it is full of disappointment and death. What good will come of all this? The queen to be is dead, the king is faltering, and all the while, evil is forever growing stronger." Kili answered, lifting his face to look at the beautiful elf.

"Even if the darkness over rules the light, there will always be those that shine a light inside. Like you Kili, your heart, the love inside it, is much more powerful than any force of the evil one. Even if only thirteen dwarves in the whole world share that love, then there is some worth to this world and some good. Do not be quick to give up."

"You speak more wisely than any dwarf I have met"

"I have had many more years to live" Tauriel replied with a warming smile.

"That you have, that you have"  
0.0.0.0  
“What the-”Anya said as she looked around at the barren land. “Is this some kind of joke? Are you punishing me for being violent and angry? Are you showing me this place to make me feel even more depressed?” She screamed, thinking that she was still in the halls of mandos. “This isn’t funny! Just put me out of my misery!” At that moment, a roar echoed above her and Anya turned and looked up at the large mountain. “What? Am I here?” Anya spoke to herself in awe and began to pinch herself; it hurt. “You don’t feel pain when you’re dead” She spoke and began to chuckle on the mountainside. “I have to see the others!” with that Anya took off in a run up the mountain towards the stone stairway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: The purpose for Anya’s death in the previous chapter was for the grief to act as a form of healing for Thorin in order to lift the Gold Sickness. Love, after all, is the most powerful weapon we have.


	44. New Life and Revelations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello all, so here is the next chapter. I would like to apologise for the time take to post. I have been busy with so much work. Im in my final year in university and have four weeks left of my course, with still some assignments and exams left to do. I recently finished my 10,000 words research project hence this chapter. But if I delayed in posting the next chapter in the next few days/weeks, you know why.  
> The beginning of this chapter is fairly slow, however the end, as you will notice, will have jumped, just a little tiny bit, forward, because I want to get this story rolling, and if I lingered anymore on the beginning of this chapter, then it would be a while before any action would actually happen.  
> So, I hope you enjoy and that it’s not too terrible.  
> Much love x

There was a deluge that night. The rain poured with such ferocity that she could have sworn it was melting away the rock beneath her feet like acid on skin. Perhaps it was a foolish decision to ascend the mountain at nightfall, but the beating in her heart, the hope of returning to the others made it impossible to stop. Frantic was her pace to find shelter, though steady were her feet. The ever nearing passage brought hope and dimmed the sickening feeling inside. The mighty roar that stung her eardrums – a terrifying sound, brought to her mind the urgency of the climb. Beneath the mountain walls, her child led; dead or alive, she did not know, but she held onto hope. Thorin’s fate was also unknown to her. For all she knew that roar could have been one of victory; receiving a large portion of dwarves to feed. A horrible thought if ever there was one. But, she did not know for sure, so it was vital that she climb up and up, with the hope she held onto.  
0.0.0.0.0

“This is it then; stay in here and rot. There is no way we can get any further in the mountain. And if we leave, Azog will kill us all…” Dori said none-to-quietly, thought it did not pass the kings ears. With a heavy heart he held the babe, staring into his beautiful eyes, his mother’s eyes. The desire to reclaim his homeland was but a distant memory now. Balin sent a scolding look to the eldest Ri brother and sighed loudly.   
“What are we going to do now?” Kili inquired, looking to Balin for an answer, but the white haired dwarf merely shook his head in defeat.   
“Tauriel…” Thorin suddenly spoke hoarsely, gaining the attention of all. The she elf stood to her feet and glanced at the mourning king with nervousness. Thorin did not look up. He kept his eyes soley on the child, as if savouring every moment of his mother’s looks. “… You are not bound to this company. You have done as you said. And I thank you for that. You may return to your home, I hold nothing against you”  
“I would remain, if you permit me?” Tauriel answered.  
“If you so wish” Thorin replied, nodding his head. Tauriel smiled and returned to sit beside the young dwarf princes. The babe began to cry. 

0.0.0..0.0.0  
“Thariis?!” Anya yelled, hearing a wail not too far up ahead. “… im coming sweetheart, mommy’s coming”

0.0.0.0.0  
“I hear something” Tauriel exclaimed, jumping to her feet once more. Turning her head to the exit, she listened intently. The sound of foot on stone. The sound of heavy breathing. It was as clear as day to her keen elven hearing.   
“What is it?” Dwalin grunted at the she elf, still slightly sore at being in the company of an elf no less.   
“Something approaches” She said to herself more to the dwarf. The dwarves began to mumble amongst themselves – worry etched in their voices. Thorin held his son closer to his chest and scrambled to his feet. If it was the enemy, it was foolish to be found weak on the floor. If they were to die, they were to die standing, proud and unafraid. One by one the men followed, and one by one they became a wall of protection in front of the king and the baby prince. Armed with just their fists and spirit, they gazed with ferocity at the opening of the corridor. And soon the dwarves could hear the pitter patter of feet entering the hallway. Tauriel, the only one armed with weaponry, braced herself at the front of the opening with knives in hand.   
“We fear you not!” Bofur called out, though he could not deny the dread he felt inside.  
“Well of course you don’t” Replied a muffled, amused voice, taking the others by surprise. Looking into the darkness of the hallway, Tauriel spotted a figure approaching.  
“It is no enemy” She gasped in disbelief, dropping her knives.  
“What is it?” Bilbo called out from behind Bombur.  
“Im not an ‘it’ thank you very much!” the voice called again, a slice of familiarity slithered in the darkness towards the company. Thorin gasped and pushed his way through the men, handing his son to Fili as he passed.   
“Anya, is that you?” He said, hopeful. The others sighed in the background, knowing that she was dead, and felt sorry for their heartbroken king, clinging onto what he hoped was the voice of his love.  
“Of course it is…” Anya’s voice became irritated and the mouths of the whole company dropped as the soaked woman emerged into the open area where the dwarves, hobbit and she elf stood, totally amazed at what their eyes beheld.   
“How… how is this possible?” Tauriel questioned and walked to the woman, cupping her face in her hands, inspecting the mortal. “You are healthy… and …. “  
“Alive” Thorin finished her sentence and walked to his love, moving the elf out of the way. Thorin grasped the woman’s arms and stared into her eyes. “What… I thought you were… where were you… are you”  
“Shut up and kiss me!” Anya wept in joy and wrapped her arms around the dwarven kings neck and kissed him. Losing all his kingly characteristics, Thorin wept as their lips moved together in a beautiful dance. The company cheered, with watery eyes at the return of the queen to be, and Kili grapsed the hand of the she elf in glee, though Tauriel looked at the mortal with a new found revelation.  
“You have been to the hall of mandos” She almost whispered and Anya broke from the kiss and looked surprised at the woman. All eyes were on the she elf and Thorin frowned in confusion.  
“How do you know?” inquired the mortal woman.  
“You WERE dead. I felt the life leave your being. Yet, here you stand, healthy, and glowing, as if the gods blessed you with new life and new strength.”  
“It was not nice, if that’s what you want to know…”  
“No, that is not what surprises me… Mandos must have given you another chance because he must have seen something in you. Very, very seldom has an event such as this ever taken place in history… and seldom have they returned the same person. There is something different about you – I sense it, though I know not what it is. A force surrounds you.”  
“You’re making this sound like a freaking superhero movie. Getting bit by a spider, you turn into Spiderman, bitten by a zombie, you become one, die and you come back this freaky power absorbing woman. What’s the deal?” Anya spoke, and realised that she had no idea what she was speaking about judging by the expression of utter confusion on her face. “Look, I feel fine, I am fine, and everything is fine.” Tauriel nodded, but her senses carried on tingling; a force pulsing from Anya was certain. Thorin turned his attention from the elf to his love once more and he stroked her face. No words were spoken by him – she could see everything he wanted to say in his eyes, and it melted her heart. The babe cried once more. “… my baby…” Anya whispered and walked past Thorin to Fili and took her child, smiling at the blonde prince.  
“I am glad you’re alive, Anya. The feeling I felt when we heard of your death – it was heart crushing.” He announced.  
“Well im not going anywhere now…” and look to her babe she cooed “… am I sweety”  
0.0.0.0.0  
“What did you mean, about Anya being different?” Kili whispered to Tauriel, after sometime of reuniting the risen woman with the company, and settling the child to sleep. Tauriel looked down at the young dwarf and her brow furrowed.  
“I feel something…”  
“Something evil…”  
“Not necessarily but something powerful.”  
“Like magic?”  
“Perhaps…”  
“You think she was given magic?  
“She was given something; that I am certain” Tauriel nodded and glanced over at the glowing woman.  
“Are you afraid?” Kili inquired, holding her hand.  
“No, I am intrigued.”  
0.0.0.0.0.0  
“Tie him to your bosom with a cloth, quickly my dear” Balin instructed Anya with urgency in his voice as the others kept a look out. “Dwalin, help her”  
“It’s moving!” Ori called out in fear as he looked into the halls filled with gold. “It’s coming!”  
“We must move! We need to get to the weapons vault” Thorin ordered.  
“That’s too far Thorin. We will not make it; especially with the child!” Balin shouted.  
“We have no choice. We cannot remain in this hallway! Smaug has moved, so we must” growled the king in his mountain.  
“I’m ready. Thariis is secure” Anya announced after thanking Dwalin. Thorin gazed longingly at her for a moment.  
“Let’s go” He then instructed and ushered his men into the open. “Whatever you do, do not stop. The dragon will show no mercy.” The company ran into the great hall, amongst the gold and headed for the armoury. Thorin waited for his love to come to his side, and he looked at her with seriousness. “I will not leave you this time. Stay with me” He grabbed her hand and took off in a sprint. With her free hand, Anya cradled the baby’s head to prevent it from lolling around as she ran, and she thanked the heavens that he was not awake, for his cried would certainly alert Smaug to their whereabouts.


	45. Chapter 45

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello all, I really do apologise in the lateness of this chapter. So much has gone on, what with exams, finishing my university course, family issues and illnesses… the list go on. I have finally been able to sit down and write a chapter now. Yay! Some readers have kindle pointed out to me that “Tauriel joins the company after they leave Lake Town at two different times with two different scenarios. Once in chapter 38 and again in 41 after Anya had joined them.” – I have to apologise greatly for this huge mistake. As the write I should have paid attention to this and I should not make excuses, but considering what has been going on with me and that, im not that surprised I messed up a little. And considering how large this story is, Im not going to correct it. When I correct thing, I tend to add or change a great deal so I don’t want to mess the story up even more. So what I will say is please focus on the latter scenario with Tauriel leaving with the company and I hope you forgive the mess up.   
> It has been ages since I have written something, so I hope you enjoy this chapter and look forward to the chapters in the future. Much love! X

“Be quiet; he just flew overhead!” Thorin turned around to face his company and whispered to them with worry evident in his expression. Anya and his child were beside him and he was greatly thankful that Thariis had taken to sleeping an awful lot. He dreaded to think what might happen if Smaug had heard the child roar with tears. The company walked closer to their king and looked out at the darkened kingdom, with golden light shining in the centre. Thorin waited a little while before taking hold of Anya’s hand and walked forward a little to get a better look at the area around him.  
“I fear I may have made a mistake…” Bilbo whispered to the company the moment Thorin stepped out and the king under the mountain turned with such stiffness, the hobbit thought he was sure to turn on him.  
“What do you mean by mistake, Master Baggins?” Thorin inquired, pulling Anya back with him to the company.   
“When I searched for the Arkenstone and I came upon the dragon; I found myself in a spot of riddles. It seems that Smaug is smarter than he appears. He somehow worked out from my riddle filled speech that we had some relation with Lake Town. I fear that he is on his way there. The people are in danger!”  
“It surely is good news for us, but sour for the lake dwellers!” Bofur exclaimed. With that said, a great roar like a hurricane was heard and Smaug flew into sight once more. Then, with a powerful gush of his wings, Smaug burst through the entrance of the dwarven kingdom and flew towards the human settlement. “We will never reach them in time to warn them” Bofur spoke solemnly.   
“Not even by my elven speed will I reach them in time” Tauriel spoke up, after looking at Bilbo’s inquisitive expression.  
“You said what you had to, to avoid being eaten. No one blames you for that my lad” Balin comforted the burglar, but Bilbo could not but help feel like he was responsible for the fate of those in Lake Town. “Come all, Smaug has left us. Let us head for the main gate and seal it before that wretched creature comes back!” with a hum of agreement, the dwarves ran out of the kings hall towards the royal entrance to the kingdom. Thorin never let go of his loves hand, nor did Kili leave Tauriel’s side. When they finally came upon the front gate, the son of Thrain noticed a small river leading away from the front of the gate. “Nori, Bifur, Gloin, this river leads to and old guard-post cavern. Hopefully there should still be some food and drink there as the dragon would not have touched it. Go down there and see what you can find.” The dwarves in question bowed their head at their assignment and left the entrance in haste to the said guard-post. Meanwhile, Thorin asked his nephews to clear an area near to the door for all to rest and the others were assigned to bringing whatever object they could find that would be useful in barricading the door, if needs required. Anya, feeling safer than she had in a while let her loves hand go and walked a little in the dark hall with her child to her chest, still sleeping soundly, surprisingly.  
“How do you feel?” A voice sounded by the side of her, taking her by surprise. The young woman turned to find Tauriel frowning at her as she looked her over.  
“Fine, thank you Tauriel… Is… Is something wrong? You look at me as if I have grown several heads” She replied, feeling a little unsettled under the elf’s gaze.   
“I apologise, I do not mean to scowl so. I just sense something different about you, and I do not know what. It makes me feel uneasy.” The she-elf replied honestly.  
“I don’t feel any different, im still me. There is nothing to feel uneasy about Tauriel”  
“Perhaps not...” Was as she said before walking away to resume aiding the others. Anya shook off Tauriel’s concern and carried on looking around for some time until the sound of a cheer sounded behind her, gaining her attention. Nori, Bifur and Gloin had all returned with arms full of food and a barrel of drink. She was relieved to say the least to see the food. She was starving. Walking back toward to company, she smiled genuinely for the first time in a while. Bilbo pulled out a little pocket knife and instantly took to peeling some surprisingly fresh carrots, potatoes and onions. Dwalin, whom had come across a few rabbits when on patrol at the door, took to skinning and gutting them. A stew was in the horizon it seemed.   
“I found something we can use for a pot!” Ori called out, bringing a large metal basin towards the chefs of the evening.  
“And I have some seasoning in my pouch!” Bofur spoke up with a grin, waving his pouch around. Thorin smiled as he looked over his merry men and felt relief wash over him. For the time being, his kingdom was HIS. And that made his feel accomplished as if he had done his father and grandfather proud. He had reclaimed his homeland. Pulling his eyes from his men, he searched for his love. He had not told her, but while his nephews were clearing a space for the company to rest that evening, they had come across a jewelled ring and instantly took it to him with the intentions that it would serve as a good engagement ring for Anya. When he found her, he walked up to her, savouring the sight of her.  
“Anya, are you well?” He inquired, his eyes looking longingly at her. Anya smiled and nodded, cradling her waking son. “I have something for you…” Thorin searched in his pocket for the ring, and then walked up to the woman until their faces were almost touching and he opened his palm to reveal the item of jewellery. “I promised you a ring when we arrived to Erebor. I kept that promise” Anya looked over the sparkling ring of rubies and diamonds on a golden band and smiled. It was a beautiful ring; far prettier than the ones created in her own world. Though, she could not help but feel a little sorrow over the previous owner, because surely this belonged to one of the deceased women in these solemn halls. Thorin noticed the change in expression and sighed, closing his hand. “You do not like it.”  
“Oh, I do Thorin, I do… but, it was someone’s wasn’t it? I can’t help feeling sad about the previous owner.”  
“You have a very loving heart Anya, so in understand your sorrow; but it has been decades. This ring no longer belongs to anyone – it is now you engagement ring, if you do like it, of course” He replied, opening his hand once more. As Anya was about to reply, Thariis awoke with a mighty cry and both parents watched him in surprise. “He has a healthy pair of lungs in him…” Thorin commented.  
“Agreed! I think he is hungry. Excuse me….” Anya said and turned her back on the king as she carefully used one of her hands to pull open the front of her tunic and bandage around her bosom to expose herself ready to feed the babe. Thorin did not move, but waited for them to finish. “He is hungry!” Anya chuckled to Thorin, aware that he still remained.   
“As are you I imagine?” He commented.  
“I would demolish a horse if I could!” on hearing her loud statement, Bilbo called over that the stew would be ready in less than half an hour and Anya’s stomach rumbled in anticipation. “I can’t wait!”  
0.0.0.0


	46. The end is Nigh

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My apologies for the lateness in this chapter, I have been somewhat busy. I moved back in with my parents. I finished my university course. I graduated. Im job seeking. There was a death in the family of a close family member… I could go on. Needless to say; a few months of mixed emotions and lots to do. So I have not written since the last chapter which was ages ago, so my writing is not up to scratch, so I apologise if this is, well, rubbish. But now that I have the summer free, I am looking forward to getting back into the routine of writing. Please read and review. Constructive Criticism is appreciated. Thank you. Much love.

As Anya stared at Fili, the young dwarf grabbed his head in pain and dropped to his knees. Droplets of blood began to fall from his nostrils and he whimpered like a child. The company looked at the heir with concern then to the woman whose eyes blazed with a fiery spark. "Stop! Stop!" Fili cried, but the anger burned fiercely inside of her. The babe that was no longer in her arms but in Bofur’s wailed at the commotion. Fili did not mean to hurt the child. He had never held a babe properly before; they knew this. As the pain coursed through his body, he regretted taking care of the child as Anya and Thorin had eaten their stem that Bilbo had so kindly prepared. Thorin rushed toward Anya, pushing past his comrades and, moving his arm with some speed, he regrettably slapped her across the face. Instantly, Fili gave a great gasp of relief and collapsed onto the floor, still cradling his head. Anya however looked around confused; a sting developing on her face as her eyes watered. Confused as to why her face stung and why the company looked at her in a frightened manner and why Fili was on the floor Anya’s brow furrowed.

"What happened?" She asked, trying to locate her child in the gathered crowd, and Tauriel knelt beside Fili, checking him over and offering him a cloth to wipe away the blood that was dripping from his nose.

"I knew there was something different" Tauriel stated, stroking Fili’s head as he gasped, trying to gather his breath back all at once.

“What happened?” Anya persisted, a little more frustrated now that the only persona speaking to her was Tauriel and not in an entirely nice manner.

“You nearly killed him, is what? I don’t know how, but you did. As soon as Thariis started crying; it wasn’t Fili’s fault. He just gripped him awkwardly is all?” Kili replied, feeling suddenly weary of the woman he once though kind and caring. All he could see now was fire in her eyes; an expression almost deathly, and a glare that brought his brother to his knees, coughing and choking. Anya shook her head, still not understanding and looked to her fiancé in confusion, but Thorin also looked on wearily. Tauriel helped the blonde dwarf to his feet and brought some distance between them and the mortal woman.

“I don’t know what you are talking about!” Anya snapped, her eyes watering in sorrow as she witnessed the mistrust form in the company’s eyes. All accept one.

“I think she may be telling the truth. Look at her, look at her now. Her eyes are as they were before this. The poor girl is frightened!” Bilbo announced, walking toward her to comfort her.

“She is frightened? What about Fili? He was the one choking!” Kili snarled, sticking up for his brother.

“Enough!” Sounded a raspy voice from behind. The company turned to look at Fili whom had now fully recovered. He frowned at his brother disapprovingly and walked to stand beside the woman who was now back to her normal self; that he could see. “I agree with Bilbo. Look at her…” He stated, and took hold of Anya’s hand. Looking into her eyes, he smiled softly. “… What is the last thing you remember?”

“I was feeding Thariis, and not long after that I handed him to you so that Thorin and I could eat. The next thing I remember, my cheek was stinging and you were all looking at me as if I had grown another head and killed a man” She replied, feeling ever so strange. “… There is a burning in my head; as if it’s on fire.” She then added honestly. Tauriel cautiously approached then, and with her keen elven senses stared into the woman’s face.

“There is a something different about you…”

“Yes Tauriel, you keep telling me! What is it then?” Anya snapped, annoyed at the She-elf’s repetition.

“I can sense power within you. When you were in the Halls of Mandos, were you touched by a being there?”

“I don’t remember. I was too focused on trying to return to you all. It was all a blur really. Why, do you think they could have passed something on to me through touch?” Inquired Anya, still holding onto Fili’s hand; unaware of the jealous look emanating from her fiancé. 

“I don’t know. I have never heard of such a thing, those I suppose nothing is impossible. What I find strange is that you did not utter a spell; you have no ring on your finger. You did not even move; it was by looking that you had Fili under your control. You were enraged, and because of that, you had him on his knees in pain. You have great defensive power, though I fear it is not one of a good nature.” The she elf explained.

“We could use that to our advantage; get that dragon to its knees if it returns” Dwalin mused aloud and several members of the company hummed in agreement.

“You are not using me as some sort of weapon at your disposal. I have never experienced anything like this before and I know nothing of it. If the slightest this caused me to do that to Fili, who says what will happen if I do as you ask then turn on you? No! I won’t. I am sorry for what I have done, truly. But If I am capable of an ill natured power when I am in distress or enraged as Tauriel said, then I am not safe to be around. I will not hurt you again.” Anya replied and pulled her hand from Fili’s, then walked into the darkness of the hall. Thorin made to follow her but Balin only held him back, suggesting that she made need time by herself.

“That was the wrong time and subject to bring that up Dwalin” Thorin commented, walking past his old friend to take his son from the Toy Maker. Thariis had now fallen asleep in his father’s hand and all was quiet; everyone set on edge. “Tauriel…” Thorin called her over after moments of silence. Compiling, the red head came to stand before the king under the mountain and nodded to him for him to ask what he will of her. “Do you think we are in danger of her?”

“I cannot say. I know not what plagues her. I only know what my eyes witnessed and what my senses told me at that time. I cannot say whether this will happen again and whether it will become worse or not.”

“That is unsettling to know” Thorin said more to himself than to the elf and ignored Balin’s recommendation and walked into the darkness.

0.0.0.0

A sob was heard in the darkness, as Thorin walked past bits of stone and rubble. As his Dwarven eyes adjusted to the darkness, his eyes rested on a curled over figure, sitting on the floor. His heart went out to Anya. It must have been frightening to her to know what she did to Fili and what she might be capable of if it ever arose again. She did not feel any different, until that moment that… whatever plagued her, took over. It scared her. ”My love, do not cry. Please, come out of the darkness!”

“Im a monster! I nearly killed your heir, Thorin. I understand if you are weary of me now. I understand if you don’t want me. The company doesn’t want to be around me now. Kili hates me. I hate me.” Anya sobbed hard into the palms of her hands.

“Never let me hear those words on your lips again, never!” Thorin ordered and approached his love. Carefully he kneeled in front of her, holding his son gently in his arms. “Look at me” Anya lifted her head and stared at the outline of her love; her eyes still not adjusting to the darkness. “You are not a monster. Those elves did something to you in the halls of Mandos that was beyond you to act against it. You are a good person, a loving person. Kili does not hate you; he is just upset about Fili. He will come around. We will figure something out, do not fret. I am with you through it all Anya; as are the rest of the company though they are too stubborn to admit it. Please, get up and come back with me. I will not see you suffer in sadness in these deserted parts of the great hall. Come back with me where there is fire and warmth.”

“I am so sorry” She sobbed, wiping her eyes.

“Don’t apologise for something that isn’t your fault. You didn’t know.” Thorin comforted her and, with some difficulty whilst holding his child, he got to his feet and encouraged Anya to do the same. “I love you Anya, and I always will”

“I love you t-”

“Something is approaching the gate!” Gloin shout filled the empty hall loudly. Anya did not have time to finish her sentence as they both turned their head quickly in the direction which the voice came. 

“Is it Smaug?” They heard Nori reply.

“No, it is something else!” Bombur added.

“Barricade the gate! No one comes in!” Thorin shouted back, waking the babe. 

“Thorin, what’s going on?” Anya asked worriedly.

“The mountain is exposed now that Smaug has gone. There will be those that will desire what is mine…”

“The gold?”

“And the kingdom…” He replied solemly.


	47. Chapter 47

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My apologies again for the time it has taken to post this. I am in mourning and so I have lost the appetite to post. I did however promise to post a chapter. I would like to apologise/warn you in advance of a character death, because 1. I saw said part of the character/story going nowhere. 2. I needed to vent out some personal feelings and emotions about the loss of my family member. So it may be upsetting to read, but it's my way of dealing with it. Most of what is said is from me mixed in with the character saying/author describing events. I hope this chapter isn't too disappointing for you. I hope you can understand that my writing probably isn't at its best.
> 
> Thank you to all for the supportive messages. It means so much to me that you care about me as well as the next chapter of this story. I appreciate it so very much. Much love x

With a mighty crunch against the ground like a thunder battle in heat, a vast army of green and gold approached with some vigour toward the mountain. The king in his mountain looked on at the ascending threat and growled, his eyes piercing with rage. They were an enemy, but not one that would threaten their lives. Completely forgetting the situation with Anya and her strange ways only minutes ago, Thorin felt himself fill with determination to rid himself of the oncoming annoyances. Balin, one of the oldest and wisest of the group stepped forward and looked to his king for answers. "Are we under threat?" He inquired.

"Tauriel perhaps, but not our kin. The elves of Mirkwood have descended upon my hallowed ground. I shall not stand for this unwelcome presence. This is my kingdom. My land! This trespass will not be tolerated. We were imprisoned for walking through their woods! They will regret coming to face the doors of my fathers!" Thorin spat through the open window.

"Thorin, surely a fight is not what we need right now? We are outnumbered and lack decent weapons. Most of what resides here is nought but blunt and rust. Could we not make peace with them, to save what we already have? To make matters worse now could mean the loss of this home or our lives once more. That is not what we set out to do when we left the Blue Mountains. Think about it." Fili spoke up, feeling the anger emanate from his uncle at the unwanted presence.

"I will not be made to look weak like a dog with its tail between its legs because they want what is mine and have a vast army with them to prove their point. They may have numbers, but we have strong barricades. We shall not leave these halls!" Snapped the one filled with the sickness of gold.

"We cannot lock ourselves up in here; make this a prison. What if Smaug returns? We will be doomed!" Bofur exclaimed with fright evident in his eyes, but this only stirred Thorin’s hate even more.

"If you do not wish to remain here, you are free to leave!"

"Thorin! You don't mean that! Besides, bofur is right. We cannot stay put in here. We will need nourishment, and water" Anya explained, hoping to find reason in her fiancé. His response however showed none of that. Turning his back to them all he looked back out into the open.

"We will make do!" Hissed the son of Thrain.

"But your son will not!" Seethed Anya, taking her child into her arms and cradled it. "If you keep us locked in here, your son will sooner die! Is that the price you are willing to pay to defend your honour? I thought much better of you, but now, my opinion is lowering by the minuet!"

"Then leave" Thorin replied before he could think of what he was saying.

"And kill us both? I cannot defend myself and a new born child! But if that is your wish; if you find it too much of a trouble to keep your son alive, to make sure he has a future in this place by making a peace treaty, then I want nothing to do with you! Your Greed will be your downfall, mark my words Thorin Oakenshield!" Anya cried angry tears and looked at the heartbroken faces of her comrades, knowing that they too felt the pain of Thorin’s actions. "... Open the door. I will at least give my son a chance to glimpse the sun and breathe clean air, even if it means he only lives to see another day. Better one day of freedom than a life of gloom and death in here. I shall not stand for it" Anya looked to Gloin to open the gates, and with a heavy heart he nodded his head and complied; and she walked to the front door, ignoring the ready eyed dwarves. Before stepping out into the open, Anya glanced up at the dwarf king and said loud enough for him and all the company to hear "... Perhaps I was better off accepting Galadriel's offer of returning to my world. At least I would have had some certainty of a future; one with happiness and safety. After all, how is any of this desirable?" Then not a moment later did the mortal woman step out into the open, walking toward the oncoming army.

"Are you mad Thorin? That is your soul mate and child out there! They could die!" Dwalin spat, feeling resentment toward his friend as he watched the woman walk into the distance.

"There is nought I can do now...." Thorin replied solemnly.

"You can go after her!" Kili argued. Thorin’s shoulders slouched in defeat. "... You owe her that much uncle, if anything. And your son! Our cousin!"

"She has made her choice..." Thorin said just above a whisper.

"The gold has poisoned you, just as it did your grandfather. I expected more of you, uncle." Fili spat and walked toward the door and out into the open.

"Don't you dare go out there!"

"I'm going to bring her back!" Fili growled, looking over his shoulder at his kin.

"I am your king and you will obey"

"Yes you are my king, but you are also my mother’s brother. Because of that, I cannot obey you. You have done something foolish and I will not honour it by obeying. You told me that when ruling as a king you must make the right decision. As your heir, I am stepping up to what you failed to do. If you do not like my actions, then you will have to disown me, for I will not see a woman and babe face death because of selfishness. Im sorry" and with that Fili ran off into the open toward the wandering woman.

0.0.0.

"Anya ,stop! Wait please!!" Fili shouted at the woman just yards in front of her. The young dwarf noted her slouched and trembling shoulders and figured it was because of her grief of Thorin. As he got closer and she slowed down the golden haired prince could see the limp hold she had on her child.

"He's dehydrated..." She spoke as Fili reached her. Both looked down at the pale child. "... I don't have any nutrition in my body to feed him. I noticed when I tried to feed him earlier in this day and last night. I did not have enough milk to satisfy his hunger and I have none now. There is nothing out here but barrenness that can feed a babe. His pulse already slows..." Anya broke into tears, unashamedly.

"Anya, you knew he was dying?" Fili gasped, placing his hand on the baby’s head and stroked it.

"He has been dying since he was born... It was only a matter of time... I just want to be with him when he does... I want to go when he does... He is my life, my strength. I thought Thorin was until greed overpowered his will to love. The scales of greed fell from his eyes when he gave me the ring, but the army of elves awoke in him once more something deadly, something I don't think I could love. I long for that cliff I was pushed off. I long for my child's suffering to be over. What kind of existence is this for one so innocent and pure. Why was I brought back? To watch my love fade away and my son pass on? Life can be cruel. I can see in his eyes; he knows something is wrong..." Anya cried even more, staring into the face of her child. Thariis, with weak arms, caught hold of his mother’s hair, and stared back at her with intensity. Her eyes sparkled with sorrow as each second passed by. As each moment, bit by bit, her world began to fade before her eyes. It may have been brief, too short, but it was the happiest moments of her life, to have lived aside and known this pure, loving being in her arms. The world lost a wonder to behold in that moment. The heavens brightened, and clouds parted as the sun shone through like a beam of light through a magnifying glass and enclosed the babe in glory. It was like Gods hand had reached down from heaven and took the child to be at peace with him, in paradise; where pain, suffering and hurt exist no more. Warmth enclosed Anya as the relief that her child was in no more pain washed over her. As the beam began to retract, the small body began to disappear into the air like sparks of gold glitter among a fierce wind, and rose to meet the beam of light, taking with it the tears of his beloved mother. Anya and Fili, both filled with sorrow and awe watched the son of Thorin ascend into the sky. "I have seen mercy at its greatest. I have felt sorrow at its fullest. I have felt my happiness dampen and grow soggy like paper in a bowl of water. But I feel determination spark within me, to make sure his passing was not in vain; that I can be something he would be proud of. I miss you my heart; because you are my heart. You will forever be in my mind. I will love you always, until the end of time itself..." Anya looked back to the ground, her chest tight with sorrow, but her Eyes ablaze with something anew. Her head snapping up to a point, she glanced at the red eyed dwarf beside her, and with venom dripping from her voice she demanded "take me to Thorin Oakenshield"  
Still unable to process what had happened that moment, fully, Fili turned back to the mountain and walked back silently; images of his cousin disappearing into nothing but gold wisps of air. He could not imagine the pain Anya must be feeling at this moment. Quickly glancing to the side, the blonde dwarf regarded the woman and noted the dark red skin forming under her eyes due to the tears she was shedding. “Anya… I am so…” Fili began but glare from the woman advised him not to continue, and so he picked up the pace and headed toward the great door to make sure they held it open for them so they could get inside before the army of elves had arrived.  
0.0.0.0  
“Master Fili returns!” Oin called out over his shoulder by the window, having taken over from Thorin, who had taken into the shadows of the realm to hide his face in shame and disgrace over the realisation of the fate he handed his wife and child.  
“Is he alone?” Bilbo called up to the old dwarf. Oin looked back to the open land and watched as Anya approached not far behind.  
“No, Anya approaches also!” He replied with glee until his eyes rested a little longer on the woman and gasped.  
“What is it?” Nori enquired, stepping forward to peer through the open door to see it he could see something.  
“Anya carries no child in her arms!” Oin responded, climbing down from the window to stand at the door to welcome in the prince and the queen to be. Fili rushed back inside and regarded his fellow comrades with tear filled eyes. Moments later Anya entered the darkened halls with darkened eyes. The company surrounded her in concern and sorrow, guessing the reason for the absence of the poor child. No one dared mention it, for fear of causing even more hurt to the childless woman.  
“Where is he?” Anya snarled, scanning the faces of the dwarves, Bilbo and the she elf.  
“He has gone for a wander…” Ori spoke quietly, almost afraid to speak, as he regarded the look in the woman’s eyes; a very familiar look. Anya nodded in understanding and without another word she broke away from the company and headed off into the darkness to pursue the one she called love.  
“What has happened, my boy?” Balin inquired of the prince as soon as the woman was out of ear shot.  
“The heavens claimed young Thariis. He is at peace. I saw it with my own eyes as if it were a dream. He faded before me like snow under a ray of hot sunlight.” Fili explained, dropping to the floor to sit as he thought about his poor cousin.  
“He is gone?” Kili gasped, taking hold of Tauriel’s hand for comfort.  
“Yes, and I fear…” Fili began, glancing up at the company.  
“Fear what, master dwarf?” The red haired she elf questioned.  
“For what she may do to Thorin, and that the army is almost upon us and we have to strategy to defend ourselves. I see something on the horizon, and it is not good news.”


	48. Chapter 48

Hello all, sorry for the long wait. Thank you for the support you have shown me during my time of mourning. You have all be great. I hope this chapter is ok. I haven’t written anything since the last chapter so it might be a bit all over the place, so I apologise in advance. Much love to you all!  
0.0.0  
Anya stormed into the darkness, full of rage and grief and sort out the one whom her heart once pined for. The love she felt for the Dwarf king was ever diminishing with every hour that ticked by. The loss of her son pained her and stirred her onward to a ruffling noise in the near blackness of the Dwarven city. “Thorin Oakenshield, reveal yourself!” Anya near enough screamed into the darkness. A thud was heard and Anya presumed that she caused the Dwarf to jump in fright and fall to the floor. Hearing him scramble to his feet, Anya clenched her fists.  
“Anya is that truly you...” Thorin spoke with hope in his voice and quickly appeared into her line of sight. “… I feared that you would never return… that I had sent you to your death. I shall never forgive myself for my actions towards you and our child. I pray that you and Mahal both will forgive me for my evil actions… Anya, why do you not speak?” Anya thundered toward the king in his mountain and with a mighty strength she thrust her fist into the dwarf’s cheek. Thorin gasped at the force and the pain and stumbled back. He did not react. Thorin knew it was what he deserved. He thought to himself that he even deserved death for allowing the gold sickness take over continually. He would never be free of it, deep down, he knew that. “… I am sorry my love, I…”  
“DON’T YOU DARE!” Anya shouted, eyes brimming with tears, pointing the finger at the royal male.  
“What, what is it?”  
“DON’T YOU DARE CALL ME LOVE, DON’T YOU DARE APOLOGISE; YOU DON’T DESERVE MY FOGIVENESS”   
“Anya, please, you are frightening me” Thorin admitted and approached his love, ignoring the stinging in his cheek. He reached out a hand to comfort the woman, but instead she stepped back, away from the dwarf and tripped over a scattered rock, falling to the floor. As she sat on the stone floor, rubbing her thighs, she cried a heart wrenching cry. Thorin dropped to his knees and grabbed the woman, and to his surprise, Anya fisted his tunic with some force and pulled herself against him, sobbing into his clothed chest; her body shuddering with emotion.  
“He’s gone…” Anya whispered; her voice muffled and coarse in between hard whimpers. Thorin’s brow furrowed as he tried to make sense of her words and thought hard. He did not want to question her; he did not want to upset her even more. Then it came rushing into his mind like a river bursting through the flood gates. He recalled Anya speaking of their son, wanting to give him at least a day off sunlight and fresh air instead of being locked up in this dark and damp form of a dungeon. Thorin could only come to one conclusion and as swift as a bird, he pushed Anya from him and turned to the floor, vomiting up the contents of his stomach. Anya felt a slight pull of her heartstrings as she witnessed before her, true regret, true pain and the true love he had for his son. After he finished emptying the contents of his stomach, Thorin let out an uncharacteristic wail of grief.  
“Until my dying days, never will the blood of my son be lifted from my shoulders; nor shall I wish it to be. This is what has been dealt to me for my recklessness and desire for something inanimate, something that will come and go. And now, because of my selfishness, you my love are faced with the aftermath; an aftermath of despair and of loss for the babe you once carried in your womb. I ask not your forgiveness, nor do I expect you to remain with me. I do not have enough words, enough time on this earth to utter to you my most sincere apologies, my biggest regret and my grief. I am not worthy to be in your presence, nor am I worthy of your love. If it is your wish to return to your world, then I will respect it to the fullest.” Thorin spoke in the darkness, unaware that the company had come close, with fear in their hearts on hearing their king cry out. They had heard their king’s speech and all allowed a tear to trickle down their cheeks.  
“I need time…” Anya whispered to the Dwarf king, having finally calmed down after listening to Thorin’s soul crushing speech. “… I need to think things through. I need… I don’t know what I need…”  
“You don’t need me, that is something to be sure of Anya. I cause too much pain…” Thorin coarsely replied, looking over at the woman as he scrambled back onto his feet.  
“That is not for you to decide; I am the hurt party in this, I am the one who has suffered most, not just from the death of my first child, but of what turmoil I have faced because of your gold sickness. I shall be the one to decide whether I need you or not; not you” Anya spoke and also stood to her feet. Thorin’s eyes filled with hope on hearing his love speak; there was no certainty that she would forgive him, that she would love him as she once did, but he took comfort in the knowledge that as of that moment, she had not decided their fate; she might still possess love and forgiveness in her heart.  
“I completely understand. I shall respect what you have said and I will give you space…” Thorin said solemnly. Anya nodded in agreement and began to walk away. Just before she passed him, Thorin reached out and grabbed her wrist and looked into her questioning eyes. “I am so, so terribly sorry” he spoke and freed her from his grasp. Anya walked past the watching company and walked towards the main hall of the kingdom to the front gates. Thorin shook his head with sorrow and followed in suit, ignoring the watching eyes of his company.  
0.0.0.0.  
“Open up, I wish to speak with the King!” A voice called out, echoing amongst the silent company. Tauriel shot to her feet and climbed the pile of rock underneath the open window and looked out into the open.  
“Who calls to us?” Balin inquired of the she elf.  
“A man of Lake Town; Bard is his name” Tauriel replied, slightly concerned at the presence of several elven escorts behind the man.  
“Ask him what he wants” Fili called up and Tauriel complied.  
“The Dragon, Smaug; he is dead!” Bard called up.  
“Surely that is good news; so why do you have sorrow in your eyes?” Tauriel answered, not needing to tell the others what the man had said for he had spoken loud enough for all to hear.  
“Why am I sorrowful? That beast destroyed Lake Town that is why!” Bard called back and Bilbo felt sorrow creep into his heart for he had grown fond of the realm of men when they had ventured there.  
“I am sorry for your loss, Bard” Tauriel replied, her tone melancholy.   
“I have come to ask also, that the king under the mountain will be merciful to us and show us kindness as we have in the past, shown kindness to you… we ask for a share of the treasure to rebuild our homes, our livelihood…” Bard responded, taking a step forward to show his eagerness. Thorin’s eyes shot wide open and made his way over to the she elf to look out at the man asking for his treasure.  
“You shall have no claim over what is in this kingdom. What happened to your town was truly terrible, but were I to give you what you ask, you would keep coming back, wanting more. No” Thorin responded and Bard frowned, as did the elves behind him.  
“I will give you time to reconsider this” Bard seethed at the king under the mountain and turned his back, marching back with the elves toward what appeared to be a large gathering of men and elves encamped outside the kingdom.  
“I believe King Thranduil is here; that is his army” Tauriel spoke to Thorin before both descended down the rubble.  
“I am not threatened by that pompous king” Thorin snarled and walked towards his company.  
0.0.0.0.0  
That night when all slept, Bilbo looked about in the dark with a great secret. He had lied to Thorin. To the whole company; he was in position of the Kings jewel. The Arkenstone… standing to his feet with a plan in mind, thinking of everything that would prevent the oncoming war with the Elves, Bilbo took a deep breath, then walked so quietly to the pile of rubble and out to the camp. He must do something to prevent this war, he thought. He must give the stone to the elven king.


	49. Chapter 49

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello my dearies. Thank you all so much for the reviews, the love and the follows. You truly are great fans and readers. Much love goes out to you all. So, the time has come. This is the PENULTIMATE chapter of this ‘Adventure like No Other’. I really do hope you have enjoyed all that has happened, given my ups and downs through the writing. And I hope you like what is to come also. Please, read and review and tell me what you think. CONSTRUCTIVE criticism is much appreciated. For all my Hannibal and Loki fans, just to let you know that one this story has finished, my attention will be put back to those stories. Also, to my Lord of the Rings/Hobbit fans; I have a new LOTR fanfiction brewing. I shall be taking my attention from the beloved Dwarves and putting it towards the Elves.   
> So yeah, thank you very much for your dedication you bunch of lovelies.

Bilbo felt dread sinking in his stomach as he walked away from the elven encampment. He feared what Thorin and the others might say if they found out that he had given the kings jewel to none other than their enemy, King Thranduil. Thranduil had regarded the hobbit as a brave and an elf friend and thanked him for his aid in stopping with war between the dwarves and the elves, though Bilbo feared that this would only prevent it for a little while. Walking quickly back towards the mountain, the Halfling was surprised to see none other than Gandalf the grey pacing the rubble before the great gate of Erebor. “Do my eyes deceive me? Gandalf is that you?” Bilbo spoke, rushing toward the old wizard. The wizard turned in surprise at the voice and grinned.  
“Ahh master Baggins, a pleasure to see you unscathed!” Gandalf responded, stooping slightly to meet the hobbit on his level.  
“Perhaps not unscathed on the flesh; I cannot comment on the marks inside” Bilbo retorted, a slight smile dancing on his lips.  
“You are alive nevertheless and that is something to be grateful for, is it not? I must commend you on your bravery in the matter of the Arkenstone. It took much courage to relieve the king of his jewel and give it to the one whom his heart hates. You have however, it seems, lessened the likelihood of an oncoming war between the two races - something they will come to thank you for”  
“I take none of the gratitude for myself, Gandalf; I did what was needed to prevent more death. Many more besides me would have done the same”   
“Do not so modest. Do you honestly believe that stubborn race inside that mountain would be so quick to form an alliance with those they despise so much to save lives. You may have seen the soft side of the Dwarven race master Baggins, but in the matters of war even the kindest of them can turn sour. You were right to trust your instincts.” Spoke Mithrandir. Silence swept over them for a moment or so until sorrow washed over the curly haired male.  
“You are not residing here long are you?”   
“I am afraid not; I have other matters to attend to. I just wanted to see that all was okay with you before I left. I am pleased to see you are still well” Commented Gandalf, straightening up; his bones crunching from old age.  
“Not all is as it seems…” Bilbo remarked and walked towards the gate a little more.  
“You speak in riddles…” Gandalf spoke, leaving the statement open for the Hobbit to explain himself.  
“Anya’s child is no more. The poor child passed away early this morn” Bilbo explained with sorrow, thinking about the despair that was evident in Anya’s eyes, the last time he looked upon her face.  
“That truly is sad news…” Was all that Gandalf had said. Bilbo remained looking at the ground, waiting for the old man to say something else. Glancing up after another bout of silence, he was surprised to see that the wizard had left.  
“You do not know the half of it…” whispered master Baggins, thinking on the words that had been exchanged between himself and the elven king. Sighing loudly, Bilbo made his way back silently into the mountain.  
0.0.0   
Dawn broke over the silent mountain and the company grumbled as they woke to the chill of air whizzing into the dwelling place. Tauriel was the first to rush to her feet as she her keen elven ears picked up approaching footsteps. Climbing the rocks underneath the window, she kept silent.  
“I have returned!” A voice shouted, aiding the dwarves into waking fully out of their slumbered state.  
“What is your request this morn!” Thorin spat, coming to join Tauriel by her side.   
“I have come with the same request. Will you not share your treasure with us and aid us in rebuilding our homes. Will you not have peace?” Bard spoke up feeling irritated by the Dwarves lack of compassion.   
“My answer still stands, human” Thorin responded. Bard shook his head and defeat and reached into his coat. Thorin pondered at what he could possibly be retrieving until the sparkles of pure starlight answered his thoughts. “How come you by that? That is not yours to possess!” Thorin growled as Bard held the Arkenstone. Before Bard could answer, the king under the mountain turned in rage and descended the stones, walking to the Halfling. “You lied to me, thief!” grabbing the hobbits jacket, the angered dwarf shook the hobbit.  
“Thorin what are you doing? Leave Bilbo alone!” Balin shouted, trying to pry the king’s hands from the hobbit.  
“This piece of scum gave the Arkenstone to Thranduil!” Thorin spat and threw Bilbo to the floor amid the gasps of the company.  
“Please Thorin, let me explain! I only did what I did to prevent a war. If it means that much to you ask for an exchange; the gold that they desire for the stone!” Bilbo reasoned as he scrambled to his feet. Anger coursing through him, he felt that there was no other way to undo Bilbo’s wrong doing than to do what Bilbo suggested and so marching to the window with some speed he gazed at the man.  
“I will give you a fourteenth of the treasure in exchange of the stone, what say you?” Thorin spoke with authority. Bard thought this over and thought over what the elven king had asked of him that eve and looked upon the dwarf with sad eyes.  
“Nay, we will accept a fourteenth of the treasure and the woman you have in your midst in exchange for the stone” Bard answered.  
“Tauriel?” Thorin asked, slightly confused.  
“No, the human!” One of the elven escorts replied. The company on hearing this, gasped and glanced at the silent woman. Anya heard all and rose to her feet, ignoring the questioning glances.  
“Agree with them” Anya spoke and Thorin glanced over his shoulder at the woman.  
“I will not give you over to the elven scum who poisoned you against us” Thorin replied, watching as Anya ignored him and made her way to the door.  
“That is not your decision to make anymore Thorin. I will not let your stubbornness kill any more people. Our son has already suffered from this gold sickness; do not let other suffer. I do forgive you; will all my heart and my love for you remains.”  
“If you love me, stay!” Thorin pleaded, ignoring the impatient messengers outside.  
“It is because I love you Thorin that I will leave with them. You will not save yourself, so let me safe you from the fate you now face if you decline them.” Anya replied, her eyes watering as she finished speaking. With all the strength she could muster, Anya pulled open the door and gave one last look at the company before disappearing into the sunlight. Thorin’s heart beat faster and faster as he watched out of the window, his love being taken hold of by the elven guards and pulled towards the encampment, leaving the man alone to speak with the king.  
“See to it that you deliver your side of the bargain!” Bard spoke “… then and only then will the stone be returned to you.”  
“You hurt her and I will rip the mortal skin from your mortal bones!” Fili growled to Bard through the open door. Bard gave a slightly sad look and turned his back to the others, walking away. Thorin sat down under the window in disbelief at what just passed and placed his head in his hands. Tauriel sat next to the kingly dwarf and ignoring all thoughts that told her that Thorin would not appreciate it, she placed her hand atop his knee and spoke  
“I do not think her fate will be sealed in death. Thranduil is selfish and will use all his power to get what he wants, but he is not a murderer of the innocent. He has a fascination with her that I do not understand. Take hope in the thought that she will remain alive, master dwarf…” Thorin raised his head and the she elf feared he would retaliate and so she quickly removed her hand, only to find that Thorin had reached out and grabbed it in his own. Turning to face her, the hate faded from his eyes as he looked at her.  
“Out of your entire race, only two do I regard to be worthy of mention and befriending. Elrond of Rivendell and you, Tauriel, have my greatest thanks. You are proof that your kind do have a heart and do not seek the destruction of this kingdom and its inhabitants.”  
“I thank you for your kind words, Thorin” Tauriel responded with a smile and removed her hand from his, standing to her feet to take a quick look out of the window before descending the rocks to sit with the others.  
0.0.0.0  
“I am capable of walking myself, you bunch of pompous creeps!” Anya spat as she was being handled rather roughly, and pushed inside a rather large tent. Anya fell onto her hands and knees and growled out of frustration.  
“I would be grateful if you did not speak to my men as such” A regal voice sounded in the tent and Anya glanced up, her eyes locking on to those that belonged to the elven king as he sat in a make shift throne.  
“Oh it’s you…” She seethed, scrambling to her feet “… I will speak however I wish to whomever I wish” She spat. Thranduil raised his eyebrows at the woman. She had much more confidence since her departure from Mirkwood and almost an aura about her. She became even more intriguing to him. His ice blue eyes then trailed down to her stomach and noted that it was no longer swollen. She must have given birth, Thranduil thought, as he lent back in his chair. “What do you want with me?”  
“You have something about you… something more than what humans possess. I first noticed it when we met, and even more so now…” Thranduil answered in a riddle. Anya scoffed and glanced at the soldiers protecting their king at the mention of her having some sort of ability.  
“I don’t have any powers if that is what you are trying to get at. If I did, I would know of it…” Anya replied, but then suddenly memories of what she did to Fili in Erebor flooded her mind. Perhaps she did have some sort of power. Nevertheless, she feigned innocence. Thranduil smiled and silently dismissed his men before coming to stand before the woman, ignoring her statement.  
“You have recently had your child?” Thranduil inquired, glancing down, once more at the smaller stomach which was once bulging.   
“Had and lost” Anya spat, taking a step backward. Anya could have sworn that a genuine look of sorrow for her loss passed over the face of the elven king. Stalking around her, until he came to stand directly behind her, he placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.   
“I know what it is to feel grief from losing a loved one. I lost my wife many moons passed.” Thranduil spoke out of sincerity but also as a means of gaining the woman’s trust once more.  
“You do have some emotions then” She retorted sarcastically, feeling disgusted at this male, though she made no attempts to pull away. Thranduil ignored her snide remark and came to stand in front of her once more.  
“Remain with me and I shall give you all you desire” He spoke, suddenly very serious.  
“Sorry, but im not attracted to you in any way shape or form” She said, crossing her arms.  
“I do not mean my statement in romantic terms, human. But I will give to you all your hearts desires if you remain by my side and fight for my cause, leaving those wretched dwarves where they are.”  
“My allegiance is with them. So, no”  
“Yet you willingly left them to come here?”  
“To save them” Anya defended, taking a step towards the elf, feeling anger rise up inside of her.  
“You neglected your allegiance to answer the call of their enemy” Thranduil taunted and not a moment later he found himself on his knees, gasping for air. Anya’s eyes bore into the blonde haired male as her fists clenched and her jaw locked. Thranduil looked into the woman’s eyes with a hint of fear. The pale blue that once was there was replaced by fire. He was all too well familiar with fire, its wrath and ruin, and felt his knees quake underneath him. “If you harm me, my men will kill you” He gasped between breaths. Anya chuckled, though her tone was no longer feminine but dark.  
“I have been to the Halls of Mandos. I have spoken with the Valar. Death does not scare me!” She said in luscious, dark tones.  
“You have spoken to the Valar?” He gasped in shock, his chest rising and falling quickly in a futile attempt to grasp more air.  
“I owe nothing to you. I will not serve you. I only serve myself” was her reply.  
“You sound like the dark lord himself!” Thranduil spat, finding strength to stand to his feet, though he still gasped for air.  
“No, I am far from the lieutenant of Melkor…” She began and Thranduil felt a sickness rise in his stomach as the mortal mentioned a name long forgotten. “… I am not darkness, for I was given rebirth by Mandos himself whom is of pure light. But I am anger. I am grief. For I feel these things in my soul. Do not compare me to evil. The evil in this room is you” She spat and in that second, Thranduil could breathe once more and Anya fell to the ground unconscious. Thranduil took in what was said in those moments, standing still, somewhat shaken. She truly had power; something that would be very useful against enemies, he pondered. Pushing that thought to the back of his mind, he knelt back down and reached his hand out to place it on the woman’s forehead. This mortal truly was as powerful as he thought, if she indeed had council with the Valar and was given rebirth. He was unaware that she had even passed on into death. Slowly waking, aided by the soft stroking on her head, Anya woke. Staring up at the Elven king she frowned. “Why am I on the floor?” Anya asked, confused once more.  
“You do not remember? You spoke of Melkor, of the Valar in a tone not quite your own” Thranduil stated, standing to his feet to make way for the woman to rise again.  
“I have no idea what you are talking about” She snapped. “Is this your way of brainwashing me again? Telling me tales to make me believe them? I’ve never heard of Melkor!” Thranduil found this strange and took his seat on his throne, ignoring the woman. So, it was anger that brought out her power, but she did not remember a thing afterward. Secretly Thranduil grinned inside. If that is what it took then he would use it as his advantage against the dwarves, against all his enemies. Shooting his eyes up at the woman, he said in a cold, cold voice  
“You will remain here.”  
0.0.0.0.0  
“It has been a while since the escorts came to speak with us; do you think Anya is ok?” Nori spoke in the painful silence.  
“Im sure someone is approaching now for I can hear the pattering of footsteps against the ground in the distance…” Tauriel answered as she leaned into the dark haired prince. Kili smiled, accepting the warmth, though his smile faltered when he looked at his uncle. Thorin was withdrawn, frozen almost, his arms hugging his body tightly. Bifur rose to his feet and made his way over to the widow, calling out in old Dwarvish.  
“What do you mean cousin?” Bombur replied followed by another conversation in the old language. Thorin’s eyes shot forward on hearing Bifur’s reply amongst grumbles.   
“Dain is coming?” He inquired and Bifur nodded his head eagerly, his axe slightly moving. “That is reassuring”  
“Perhaps not” Balin spoke “The elves and men will regard it as a threat. War is imminent; I can feel it”  
“No matter what, we will face death then…” Fili grumbled, though loud enough for all to hear.  
0.0.0.0  
“My Lord Thranduil, a dwarven army approaches. Many there are, and broad is their armour!” An elf spoke quickly, bursting into the Elven kings tent. Thranduil seethed, glaring between the mortal woman and the soldier.  
“War it is then; ready the men!” was his reply and the guard left the tent immediately.   
“You will be the death of us all” Anya snapped, trying to fight the bonds that were now wrapped tightly around her wrists behind her back.  
“Hold your tongue, mortal. You will not face this war without doing your part also…”  
“What do you mean?”  
“You shall see….”


	50. Chapter 50

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello my beautiful readers. So here is the final chapter as promised. Firstly I would like to apologise to you, if you think that the deaths are not that great or honourable. As some of you know, I have recently lost a very close loved one and so I found it somewhat difficult to write about a death of a loved character. I do however hope that it is up to scratch. I feel surprisingly relieved to finish this story, though I have enjoyed it – as I hope you all have. I hope you like this ending although it may be both sad and happy. I ended it was best as I thought I could in regards to where my OFC could/would end up and in my emotional state. So if the ending is a bit of a let-down and you were expecting something fantastical and the deaths more magnificent, im sorry and I hope you can understand what it took for me to write about the death of a character when I've had a death in the family. On a happy note, you are all fabulous. Please, please, please REVIEW! Many of you have asked to upload new chapters, so I would value the opinions of you all (both nice and creative/constructive criticism. Nasty reviews are not nice)
> 
> It certainly has been an adventure hasn't it - a 50 paged adventure. Haha.
> 
> Much love

0.0.0

As the dwarves of Dain marched in a most threatening manner against the elves and men with Thorin and the company watching through the window, an eerie silence crept over the land. It was if the earth had taken a deep breath and refused to let it go. Thranduil, on feeling a strange sensation, stepped out of his tent and glanced up at the sky. Slowly the white clouds that once danced in the sky turned a sickening grey colour and the beams of light that once lit the atmosphere gradually faded. It was becoming dark. On hearing the elven king gasp, Anya managed to pull herself up and push past his to look at the commotion. Stiff she stood beside Thranduil. "What is it?!" She asked him and Thranduil glanced down at his side, regarding the woman who had spoken to him without hatred for the first time.

"Something wicked comes!" He replied.

"My lord, my lord!" A soldier called out in that moment, rushing to the king of mirkwood.

"Yes?" He snapped at the panicked soldier.

"An army comes, but it is not of dwarf kind; Goblins and Wargs approach us with vicious speed" He explained and the king of Mirkwood's eyes widened and turned to the woman.

"You will aid us…" Was all he said before leaving the tent in haste, shouting out commandments to his men to armour up and prepare for battle. Anya felt worry overwhelm her and found the absence of the King an opportunity to escape. As she took a deep breath, Anya burst through the tent with some speed; the mountain in her vision. She must warn the others, she thought to herself. As she dodged guards as they tried to grab her, Anya failed to see the King standing at a distance watching her with an evil stare. Picking up a bow they leant against one of his men and a stone from the floor, Thranduil used it as a sling shot and drew the stone back, aiming for the woman's feet. When he was confident of the position, he let go of the string and the stone flew through the air at some speed, colliding harshly with the woman's ankle. A crack sounded at the impact, and in pain and frustration of falling hard to the ground, Anya screamed at the top of her voice; the sound so loud that it travelled through the wind to the mountain. Thranduil tossed the bow aside and marched over to the weeping woman on the floor. Taking hold of her arm, he yanked her to her feet; eyes ablaze with anger. "You would do well not to cross me woman!" He snarled in her ear and pushed her toward to tent. Pain shot through her ankle as she placed pressure upon in and she whimpered aloud.

"I think my ankle is broken you prat!" She shouted back, dropping to her knees in defeat.

"I doubt that – it did not hit you hard enough for a breakage; it if probably fractured" Thranduil responded with a bored tone, grabbing the woman once more. "Now get up"

"It's more or less the same thing; I cannot walk on it" She cried back as she cradled her ankle. Thranduil growled in frustration and glanced up, pointing to his healer and bade him forth.

"Take her and bind her foot. I want her up and ready in ten minutes. The army is fast approaching and she is the key to our success." The healer solemnly nodded, not wanting to disagree with his lord, and helped the woman to stand, walking her carefully toward the tent; silently disapproving of his kings actions.

"Did you hear that scream?" Kili whispered among the company; his worried eyes looking to his elvish admirer. Tauriel nodded gravely and stood to her feet, making her way over to the window.

"Do you think it was Anya?" Ori asked softly, though a hint of sadness was evident.

"It was a feminine cry…" Thorin confirmed without actually answering his question and placed his face in his hands in shame.

"I do not think he would harm her so…" Bilbo spoke up, in regards to the elven king.

"What else would cause her to scream so, master Baggins?" Thorin spoke up; lifting his weary face form his hands to regards the small hobbit.

"An army…" Tauriel quipped, looking gravely over her shoulder to the company.

"Our cousins would not harm or frighten her!" Dwalin snapped at the she elf in annoyance. The red head shook her head and sighed before answering.

"It is not Dwarves or Elves I speak of" She stated, walking down the stones, approaching the king under the mountain. Thorin, on hearing her grave words, rose to his feet, and watched Tauriel ever so closely.

"So, what is it then?" Nori inquired, feeling impatient at the sudden absence of noise.

"Goblins and Wargs approach with an inhuman pace; your cousins and my kin are forming battle stances. I suggest we armour up. Wargs may not be able to penetrate the foundations of this kingdom; but it is within the Goblins capabilities. We must prepare."

"So be it" Thorin retorted, marching quickly into the darkness towards the rusting armour that clad the old bones of dwarves long forgot.

.0

"Please, let me go. Just distract him while I make a run for it" Anya begged the young elf that carefully but securely bound her slightly swollen ankle.

"I cannot, I am sorry Penneth" He responded solemnly, and his ice blue eyes bore into hers; his regret was evident and honest. Anya sighed loudly and wiped her brow, thinking that this elf was probably just too scared to face an angry king. Sensing her thoughts, the elf shook his head. "It would be sending you to your death if I let you go now. Your ankle is not in good condition. Your chances of reaching the mountain before the evil descends, with that ankle, are slim."

"So, you would help me if I was well?" She asked, surprised at the elf. The elf rose to his feet and quickly glanced at the opening of the tent to make sure no one was listening. He then turned back to the mortal woman and smiled a genuine smile.

"I do not agree of my king's action today… or most days for that matter. Yes, if I could have, I would have. If this is to end in war, then I would rather you be with those you love, not in captivity. I am sorry Anya, truly I am…" He explained, lowering his head in sadness. Anya regarded the elf and found that he quite resembled Tauriel in demeanour; she certainly would not forget his loving soul.

"What is your name?" Anya said just above a whisper, reaching out a hand and placing it lovingly on the elf's cheek. The young male raised his eyes and looked at the woman in surprise, finding no hatred in them.

"I am Garvenn, son of Geserain"

"It has been a please to meet you Garvenn, amongst all this hostility. I really hope and pray that you are kept safe during this war."

"Namarie, Mellon nin…" Garvenn spoke gently, leaning forward, pressing a soft kiss to the woman's head "…Aa' lasser en lle coia orn n' omenta gurtha" as he pulled away and regarded the woman's expression the elf healer chuckled, remembering that she did not understand his native language. Leaving Anya's side and walking to the opening of the tent, the elf translated to the woman in a soothing tone "… Farewell, my friend. May the leaves of your life never turn brown" And with that he left her alone as the haunting cries of the oncoming evil echoed all around.

Hours had passed, and rouge began to tint the rubble covered land that extended from the last great dwarven dwelling. Bodies upon bodies were scattered amongst rusted weapons; Goblins, Wargs, Men, Elves and Dwarves alike. It was a blood bath. The dwarves of Dain marched toward the hostile creatures with some authority and grace about them, and though their shields were broad and thick, the casualties were many for the Goblins were vigorous; strength overwhelmed them that they thought impossible for such a slimy, thin, rotting race. The sky had darkened as if there was smoke rising from a great fire, ascending into the atmosphere above. Shrieks and wails echoed in and through the stone rattled the bones of those fighting for their lives. Thorin and his company had taken to the outside, fighting for the rights to the kingdom as onslaught upon onslaught of wretched creatures bombarded them. The small, brave Hobbit had succumb to fright and inexperience and sat, withdrawn, upon the mountain, watching with fear as his comrades fought for their lives. With a gasp of delight, the Halfling watched as slowly, the Goblins withdrew; the army of Dwarves and Elves too strong for them. The hobbit thought victory was in site, but that hope soon faded when even more, if possible, Wargs replaced the Goblins with much more hatred and exuberance. As the Wargs began to take charge, the Goblins crept back ever so sneakily, taking place upon the mountain side. Dread filling his heart, and being unable to remain near the battle ground, Bilbo placed on the one ring and ran as fast as his legs would carry him to the safe encampment of the Elves. Dashing into one of the untouched tents, Bilbo gasped through his exertion and quickly removed the ring, placing it in his pocked. "Bilbo!" A voice shrieked and the hobbit felt a body slam against his own. Surprised for a moment, Bilbo glanced to his side and noted a small woman clinging to him.

"Anya, my dear!" Exclaimed the Hobbit in sheer happiness and embraced her back. "I thought you dead"

"I didn't think I would live this long, truth be told!" Anya replied, pulling back to look at the small male. "Tell me, are they alive?"

"They are, but I fear not for long. The enemy is too powerful"

"Bilbo, will you help me get to them, please?" The blonde woman pleaded, taking hold of master Baggins' hand and squeezed it. "I must help them. We must do what we can" Bilbo thought over the young woman's words for a moment, but deep down in his soul, she was right. They were their friends. They could not desert them and do nothing but wait for it to pass; if it did pass. Taking a brave, deep breath, Bilbo held onto the woman's hand and led her from the tent. The sight in which Anya stumbled on was one of heartbreak. The pain filled cried of injured men and elves and dwarves hit her like a gust of wind. As Bilbo led her past and over bodies, Anya scanned the faces of the slain with tear-filled eyes until suddenly she stopped, standing frozen as she stared at a body on the floor.

"Anya, we cannot stop. We are exposed. Come on!" Bilbo shouted over the sounds of war, but a frown appeared upon his face as he noted the tears falling down the mortals face as she looked upon a dead elf. "What is it?"

"His name is Garvenn…" Anya sobbed, wiping away the tears that stung her eyes. An axe nestled, embedded in the young healer's chest. His mouth was agape and blood poured from his nose, dripping down into the pool of red in which he led. In one had he held a sword, and the other a picture; although splattered with blood, Anya made out a painting of a beautiful woman with flowing golden locks. "… He probably had a love…" Anya thought aloud and quickly knelt down, using her fingers to close the eyes of the beautiful-hearted male. "… Im so sorry this happened to you Garvenn…" Anya whispered and allowed Bilbo to pull her away into the roar of battle.

"Fili look out!" Kili shouted as he pierced the flesh of a sickly looking Goblin, noticing that a Warg crept up behind his brother. Fili snapped his head around and lifted his axe above his head before bringing it harshly down upon the skull of the four legged beast. A splash of blood coloured the bloods hair as he removed the weapon from the beast. Standing by one another, the brothers fought for their lives with much stealth.

"Ori Lad, stay by me!" Nori shouted to the young dwarf, pulling him to his side. Ori had taken to wielding a sword, replacing his sling shot for he knew it would not serve him well. Stumbling next to his brother, he looked about, wide eyed. "Don't worry; I'll keep you safe…"

"Tauriel, shoot!" Dwalin commanded to the red headed elf as he noticed the pack of Wargs approaching them. Tauriel pulled out several arrows from fallen victims, and with great precision shot the offending beasts, much to Dwalin's relief. Balin, although old, waved his axe around like a conductor of an orchestra creating a masterpiece. With ever swing he felled a foul beast. The remainder of the company took well to the battle field and worked hard to preserve their lives.

"I see Thorin!" Anya shouted with glee, limping forward as fast as she could, holding Bilbo's hand. Thinking he heard his name in the window, Thorin risked a glance to his side and watched with wide eyes as his love approached, accompanied by master Baggins. Happiness swelled within him to see Anya alive. Forgetting where he was at that moment, Thorin lowered his sword and began to walk towards the mortal woman when a shooting pain seared through his side. "No!" Anya screamed and dropped Bilbo's hand, running as best she could towards the king.

"No!" A voice sounded and Kili quickly turned around, away for a body he had just thrown to the ground and looked upon Anya running toward his uncle who stood with an arrow protruding from his side.

"Thorin!" Kili yelled and ran in the direction of his Uncle. On hearing his brothers pained tone, Fili followed in fear.

The mortal woman reached the dwarf kings side and cupped his face in her hands. Thorin's eyes began to glaze over as his blood dripped ever so slowly from his wound. "Im here love im here. You're going to be ok…" Anya stumbled over her words in fear and gasped when she saw a Warg heading their way.

"Fili, kill it, kill it!" Bellowed Kili as his eyes followed the beast aiming for his uncle. Fili, who was now in front of his brother, ran toward the fell beast and brandished his weapon at it. Kili, not far behind, followed in his brothers footsteps until heat attacked the lower of his back. Standing still, confusion overwhelming him, Kili reached around and felt a shaft sticking out of his back. Gasping, Kili stumbled forward until another burst of heat consumed him, knocking him to his feet.

"Kili!" Anya whispered and Thorin noted her panic, and through his pain, the king beside his mountain turned, following his loves eye line and glanced upon his youngest nephew, kneeling upon the floor, with several arrows protruding from his back. Forgetting his love, Thorin rushed towards him, tears dripping from his eyes. As he reached Kili, Thorin fell to his knees, gathering his kin in his arms. Kili gasped for breath as he looked up at his uncle. Taking hold of one of his hands, Thorin squeezed affectionately, sorrow overwhelming him. Fili felt his heart sink as he looked upon the saddening scene and he ran towards his family. As he reached his uncles side, Fili looked into the distance and watched with fear as an arrow flew through the air aiming for Thorin Oakenshield. Not wanting to be separated from his brother, knowing his fate, and wanting his Uncle to live, Fili, the heir to the throne of Erebor, dashed to the side and stood, welcoming the blow of the arrow to his chest. As soon as the poisoned shaft hit him, Fili crumpled to the floor beside his Uncle.

"No!" Thorin mourned as he watched the scene unfold and gathered his eldest nephew in his other arm. Feebly Fili reached out a hand and took hold of his brothers. In the arms of their uncle, the brothers looked at each other, aware of their fate. "Oh Mahal, let not this be their ending!" Thorin howled, tears unashamedly falling from his eyes.

"Do not be sad, Uncle…" Kili coughed, though his eyes never left Fili's.

"I am honoured to accept this; to know that I have saved your live" Fili added, whimpering as the pain began to overtake his being, and the lights in front of his eyes began to fade.

"We go to join our father" Kili spoke softly and wheezed as his breath began to halt. Thorin protested in his heart to his words as he witnessed the life leave his nephews and the lights leave their eyes. A smile formed on their mouths as they passed, knowing full well that they were at peace. Thorin screamed in mourning and lifted his nephew's heads to his own and he held them tightly; their limp bodies hanging against him. In the distance Tauriel felt her heart break as Kili fell limp and lifeless. Knowing that he could not remain like this much longer, Thorin kissed Fili's head then Kili's and promised to return to them. Then, stumbling to his feet with an axe in his hand, he let out a war cry and slew many Goblins, unaware of a large goblin pointing a bow with several arrows attached at him. Anya watched as the world began to spin in slow motion as the arrows soared through the air and slammed into the King beside his mountain. Feeling anger fill her being, Anya roared and opened her arms wide towards the Goblin and felt red over her eyes; growling with a sound that her body had never made before.

The sky began to swirl above her, circling in colours of black and grey. As she rose her arms, Anya fumed; hatred for the monsters radiating from her body. With one quick swish of the arms, time stopped for a moment. Elves and dwarves and men alike watched in sheer surprise as they stayed their weapons when a light burst forth from the mortal's chest and hands, engulfing the foul creatures. As the light enveloped them like snow on a mountain, screams of protests sounded as little by little flesh and fur began to tear from their skins. The smell of burning flesh filled the company's nostrils as they watched with slight fear in their hearts. Thranduil lowered his sword and witnessed the scene pan out with a slight smirk upon his lips. As the flesh continued to rot and burn, exposing muscle and bone, Anya dropped her hands and collapsed to the floor. Not a single enemy resided on the ground at that moment, and those that took refuge on the mountain scattered, yelping in fear of the same fate. With a shout of victory all thrust their fists into the air, thanking their gods and protectors. But rejoicing was not in everyone's heart and mind. Spluttering, unaware of the happenings about him, Thorin Oakenshield led upon the battle ground, eyes to the sky, tears dropping from his eyes as he thought of his nephews. He could not move ad he knew he was unlikely to survive his injuries. Tauriel sprinted to the young dwarf princes and dropped to her knees when she reached kili's side. Pulling him up against his chest she wept for his life and the light and goodness that had left his body. Silently she prayed to the value that they might return his spirit back to his body, but she knew her prayers were futile. Beside her, Balin had come, sitting next to the heir to the throne; Fili's head in his lap as he sobbed, stroking his forehead. Dwalin had rushed to his king and friends side, alongside master Baggins. Bilbo took hold of Thorin's hand and squeezed reassuringly.

"I am sorry master Baggins, for what you have endured because of my actions and words. You will always be remembered, dwarf friend..." Thorin spluttered and gasped as the arrows sunk deeper and deeper into his body. Blood trickled down from the side of his mouth, painting his cheek red. Raising his chest, knowing his last moments were upon him, he requested for the presence of his nephews. Compiling, Tauriel picked Kili up and place him beside his uncle; Balin mimicking the she elf's actions. Opening her eyes after some time of being unconscious, Anya scrambled towards the three bodies on the ground. Muttering her despair under her breath, reaching the last line of Durin, lifeless, Anya allowed her eyes to roam over the soaked bodies; soaked in tears and blood.

"No, no, no, no" Anya cried, stroking the brow of her love. "You are going to be ok, you'll see…" Thorin's breathing became laboured. Glancing up at his love with a smile that was forced through the pain, Thorin held tightly onto his nephews hands.

"I have been a fool, a wretched fool" He stated, hissing as a sudden pain coursed through his veins; the whole company had now surrounded the four bodies on the floor with sorrow etched on their faces. "I only hope that you will forgive me my actions and that Mahal will be… will be merciful to me that I might join my son and not live my death in utter despair…" Anya sniffled as emotions over took her and she bent down and placed a loving kiss on his forehead.

"I forgive you, you stubborn dwarf. Take me with you?" The blonde mortal pleaded as the smile slowly faded from the face of Thorin, son of Thrain, son of Thror, king under the mountain. Anya let out a screech of despair as the life of her beloved left him so quickly, yet so peacefully. "No! Come back you stupide man!" Anya grabbed Thorin's tunic and began to shake him viciously, but to no avail. Gloin stepped forward and grabbed the woman, lifting her weakening body from his kings.

"Lass, he's gone… he's gone…" Gloin said to her, though the statement was more of disbelief than fact. Anya wrestled against the red haired dwarf and reached for a knife that nestled in a small scabbard attached to his thigh.

"Anya, stop!" Bofur gasped, realising what she was trying to do and rushed toward her in panic before she could grab the weapon and harm herself. As he reached her and took hold of the knife, tossing it to the floor, the kind dwarf then took hold of the woman's face in his hands and stared at her but her eyes began to gradually unfocused. "Do not do such a foolish thing. Thorin would not want you to take your own life; nor would we" and with those words, the mortal woman shed sombre tears until she lost the will to gain conscious and fell limp against master Gloin.

0.0.0.

And so, solemn was the victory day. The Dwarves of Dain, alongside the Dwarves of the blue mountain began to bury their dead. The silence was eerie as body upon body was piled up on one side of the kingdom, where holes upon holes were dug on the opposite side. Feeling strongly for the loss of his kin, Dain ordered his men to bury Thorin Oakenshield and his nephews inside the kingdom in honour for what they had sacrificed their lives for; it was only fitting that after all, they resided in their home.

When relations between the Elves and Men and Dwarves had improved, and each party had thanked the other for their help in the reclamation of the Mountain, Dain was crowned the new King under the mountain, much to the slight distain of Thranduil King of Mirkwood and Balin and Dwalin sons of Fundin.

The Master of Lake Town was reinstated to the bowman who shot down the dreaded dragon Smaug; Bard paid to Bilbo what was promised and an alliance between Erebor and Lake Town formed.

Anya sat most of the days, staring into the distance in grief; though a slight relief had taken over when the elven king had lost interest in the woman when he sensed that whatever power she had inside of her to do what she did against the enemy had long left her being. Gandalf had appeared on the scene once more, sorrow filling his heart at the loss of the three members of the company and the loss of light in Anya's eyes. Feeling that the Hobbit and Anya had spent far too long on this battle field, He had suggested that they leave. And so, as the company bade their farewells to the new King under the mountain and their lost kin, the dwarves made their way back to the blue mountains; the burden of knowing that they would have to inform Dis of her loss, weighing on their should. Bidding the Hobbit, Human and She elf, the dwarves marched for their last time to their home once more; a home that was far from the standards of Erebor. Tauriel sat beside Anya, glancing at the mountain as Gandalf lifted Bilbo onto his steed. "My dear, will you return to Mirkwood?" Gandalf suddenly spoke and Tauriel glanced over to the wise wizard.

"I will not. I will accompany you to Rivendell. I shall stay there for a time until the sea calls…" She said sadness clearly evident in her tone.

"You mean to sail west then?" Gandalf inquired, raising an eyebrow as he sat upon his horse.

"That I do, Mithrandir… My heart was taken from me; there is naught else here to keep me." She explained before aiding a blank Anya up onto the second horse beside the wizard. Mounting the steed behind Anya, Tauriel gave once last glance to the mountain and then in a moment they were riding away from the place that held so much memory, so much sorrow.

Many weeks had passed as the odd company of a Hobbit, Elf, Human and Wizard had finally approached the valley of Imladris in the distance. It had been a silent journey for the adventure had taken its toll of young Bilbo, Anya had not yet broken from here revere; not eating and barely drinking, and Tauriel was in silent mourning. The silence changed however when Bilbo's eyes caught hold of the last homely house and gasped with awe and happiness. "Never will my eyes get tired of the sight before me" Bilbo muttered and Gandalf smiled, grateful to hear the Halfling speak.

"It truly is a beauty to behold" Tauriel agreed with the hobbit, smiling at the beauty of the elven realm. Not twenty minutes later did the small company gallop onto the courtyard, surprisingly greeted by the elven Lord himself.

"Mae Govannen Mithrandir! I saw you from a distance!" Elrond spoke with calmness about him and cautiously approached the woman, noting the ill look upon her face. "What has happened?" He inquired as he took a step back to allow Tauriel to jump down from the horse, holding Anya against her. "And who may you be, my dear?" The lord of Imladris said with much kindness at the red hared elf.

"Tauriel of Mirkwood, my Lord; tis a pleasure to stand before you in your glorious home" Tauriel replied, bowing her head slightly. Elrond smiled and thanked the she elf before turning to the young hobbit and noting a similar look of tiredness upon his face that resembled Anya's.

"Please, follow me. We must get them to the healing chambers…" Elrond spoke, picking young Bilbo up in his arms. Gandalf followed the Lord alongside Tauriel into the peaceful and calm residence.

"Is she ok, she has not woken for some time?" Bilbo inquired of the Lord of Imladris in the healing chamber a few days later. Elrond sighed as he wiped the woman's brow with a clean, damp cloth.

"I believe her will to live is slowly dying; she has not the heart to live on. I am not surprised with what she has endured; the loss of her son and love was tragic…"

"You can tell that by looking at her? You speak as if you know this feeling?" Bilbo quipped, clearly curious as he looked between the woman on the bed and the Elf Lord. Elrond glanced at the Hobbit and smiled very sadly.

"I do speak from experience dear Master Baggins…" Elrond stated, his mind slipping back to the day that he watched his beloved wife sail away from middle earth towards the undying lands, which one day he would meet her again upon the golden shores. Bilbo, noting the sadness in the Elf's eyes, did not pursue the conversation but kept silent. Feeling the awkwardness, Elrond continued to speak "… You are improving well Bilbo. Perhaps remaining here would please you?"

"I have thought of your kind offer; I shall take it, but not now. Right now, my heart yearns to go home, to think over my life's happenings so far."

"Of course, I understand… I think perhaps, we should make Anya as comfortable as possible…" At those words Bilbo gasped in shock, his eyes wide as he regarded the regal male. "… I am truly sorry, but there is nought I can do now. Her illness is in her heart and mind. She longs to be with those she loves…."

"… Will it be long? Will it hurt her?"

"No, I don't believe it will be long now, master Baggins... And no, it will be painless… do not trouble your heart with sorrow. She will be in paradise, in pure happiness. That is something to be thankful for. Come, I do not think it would do you well to be here when she does. I think it best you bade your farewells…" Elrond spoke softly. Bilbo nodded, tears unashamedly falling from his eyes. Leaning over the woman and kissing her forehead, he wished her everlasting happiness and thanked her for her friendship and then, in a moment, he left. Elrond sighed loudly and took the mortal woman's hand, watching her face. "Be at peace, Anya, be at peace. Namarie, dear child" Elrond whispered, and as if waiting for permission from the healer, Anya took her last breath and her spirit ascended into peace. Picking up a sheet, Elrond covered the woman's body and stood to his feet, motioning to his healers in training to prepare her body. He wanted this brave, mortal woman to be buried in his gardens.

Tauriel left that evening after sharing some comforting words with the Lord of Imladris and Bilbo. Heading to the grey havens with an escort and other elves that wished to venture to the grey haves also, the she elf reached into her pocket and pulled out a stone, a black stone, carved with ruins, and smiled at the memory of Kili holding it in his hands.

0.0.0

And so the adventure of Bilbo Baggins of the shire and Anya of Cornwall came to an End. The brave young hobbit ventured back to the Shire, and all for now in Middle Earth, seemed at Peace. FOR NOW.

"Mother?" A voice sounded in a glowing white room. Anya opened her eyes and looked about in awe at the beauty of the room she resided in. she was clad in pure white and, much to her confusion she was pain free, "Mother!" Came the voice again. The voice sounded like a thousand choirs of angels singing all at once. Turning around toward the voice, Anya watched as a blonde figure ran toward her. He was a spitting image of Thorin Oakenshield, save for the hair colour. Anya opened her arms, as if in slow motion, and welcomed the dwarfling. Running into her, holding her tight, the young dwarf trembled with joy. "Mother!" He said again with joy.

"Thariis, is it really you?" Anya asked.

"Truly it is" Another voice sounded, and looking up through tear filled eyes, Anya gasped. Thorin, unscathed and healthy walked toward the embracing couple.

"Thorin!" Anya exclaimed with sheer happiness and let go of her son to embrace her beloved. Thorin chuckled as he held her close, placing a kiss to her temple. "I knew I would see you again!" She wept in delight. Opening her eyes, looking around in joy she spotted two other dwarves standing in the distance next to another unfamiliar dwarf. "Fili, Kili?!" She gasped and the two dwarves smiled in glee. Anya quickly surmised, judging by the fact that the young dwarves held the older hands, that that was their father. "I am so very happy to be with you all again"

"As am I; I am thankful I was deemed worthy." Thorin explained, glancing between his love and his son.

"You will always be worthy in my eyes. That truly was an adventure like no other" Anya whispered in response and placed a loving kiss on the Dwarf kings lips.


End file.
